Brief Reflections
by YenGirl
Summary: BRIEF REFLECTIONS on an unlikely couple that started off as partners, continued as friends and ended up as both lovers and friends. Kaien Cross and Touga Yagari. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1: Moonlit Reflections

**Author Notes:** This is just a short one shot inspired by some recent posts in the Character Relationships thread in **Blackened Wing**'s forums. It started me wondering about the possibility of writing something for CrossxYagari since I could find only one other fanfic focusing solely on this pairing.

As for timing or where this one shot fits in with my other fics, just consider it as a sort of side story from Hold Me. And I guess it does kinda fit in with the quite frequent 'meetings' Cross goes to (although that was originally done to get papa out of the way for Zero & Yuuki more than anything else, LOL!)

**Appreciation: **Thank you to **Altariel-Jaina **for starting that particular conversation and to **Blackened Wing** and **AgateLinks** for their kind encouragement.

**Warning: **Nothing much, just some mild yaoi implications :)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Vampire Knight or its characters, that honour belongs to Matsuri Hino.

-- Chapter Start --

It was a few minutes to midnight. Cross sighed softly as he pulled aside the bedroom curtain and looked out of the window. The street below the old apartment block was silent at this time of night.

Cross lifted each shoulder in turn and rolled his head from side to side. He was really getting way too old for this. Touga on the other hand, didn't seem to have such problems. He was just as… er - energetic - as ever. Perhaps a little too much – Cross ached. Not just his wrists where the other hunter's hands had closed over them tightly, but other places as well. Places he couldn't – or shouldn't - even mention.

He glanced over at the double bed in the corner with a rueful twist of his lips. The bedcovers were wildly rumpled and pillows flung haphazardly, one even lying on the carpeted floor beside it. Long waves of black hair were spread over one of the pillows as the tall vampire hunter slept on, momentarily sated for now, one long leg uncovered by the sheets and carelessly thrown over another pillow.

Just the sight of that long rangy limb made a thread of desire stir deep inside Cross. He sighed again and resolutely turned back to the window where a full moon could be seen, peeping over the treetops in the distance, its soft glow picking out the age defined lines on his face.

The sheets on the bed rustled as the figure on the bed stirred. "Can't sleep, Kaien?" came the familiar sleep slurred tones.

The man by the window nodded. "Yeah…" he murmured. He turned around to see Yagari sit up and lean against the headboard before reaching for his cigarette case and lighter from the bedside table, ignoring Cross' disapproving look. "How's Zero these couple of weeks?" asked the taller man conversationally after taking a drag on his lit cigarette.

Cross shrugged, turning back to face the window. "OK… he seems happier these days"

"Really?"

"Well" a soft smile appeared on Cross' face now. "I dare say my dear Yuuki has a lot to do with that."

"Hmmm" came an acknowledgement from the bed, then a throaty chuckle sounded. "She's really something, that girl of yours. Did I tell you that she actually waited for me outside the Night Class the entire time, wanting to know where we'd hidden Zero? After he bit her for the first time?"

Cross chuckled in turn even though that event happened many months ago. "She's a determined girl, my Yuuki…" He turned back to regard the man on the bed, face veiled by the wisps of smoke rising from his well shaped lips. Lips that were equally good at dropping coldly cutting remarks as they were at eliciting more… pleasurable… sensations. "I'm sure he knows you care, Touga…"

One naked broad shoulder lifted in a careless shrug. "Doesn't matter what Zero thinks of me"

"Don't bother trying to kid me. He loves you, Touga… just like you love him"

"That doesn't matter. I'll still shoot him on sight if there's a sign he's going to fall to Level E" Yagari's voice was hard.

Cross's heart ached but he didn't say anything. "I wish… I hope… Zero's practically my son, you know… just like how Yuuki is my daughter"

A single blue eye regarded the man at the window silently, long fingers holding the cigarette just as steadily. After a moment, the lips twisted in a humourless smile. "You're a sentimental old fool, Kaien" The end of the lit cigarette glowed briefly as its owner took another drag.

The other man shrugged, ignoring the sarcastic tone in the voice as well as the acrid tang of the cigarette smoke. He'd given up trying to get Touga to stop smoking for years. "Perhaps I am" he agreed softly. "I just want both my children to be happy but …" he drifted off.

"… but Kuran's in the picture too" finished Yagari, taking another hard drag on the cigarette, his blue eye hardening suddenly.

"Ah, Kaname's a good person, Touga" said Cross but in a resigned tone as if he'd said the same thing a hundred times before to someone he knew wouldn't believe him anyway.

There was a long moment of silence then Yagari stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray on the nightstand. "Do your 'children' know where you go at night twice a month, Kaien?" asked Yagari, his brusque tone indicating he wanted a change of subject.

"No… and I don't intend for them to find out" Briefly, Cross wondered if Zero or Yuuki (or anyone else for that matter) ever thought about the scarf he usually wore around his neck. He was willing to bet they never thought its main purpose was to actually hide the embarrassing evidence of Yagari's enthusiastic love bites.

"So" the taller vampire hunter's voice turned silky and darkly amused. "Wonder what your 'children' do when papa's not around?"

Cross had a pretty good idea, but it wasn't something he wanted to say, and especially not to Yagari.

"You don't have to protect Zero from me, Kaien. I know Yuuki's heart is bigger than the rest of her put together" Cross bit his lip. Yes, Yuuki was the most generous and loving girl he'd ever known.

But there was also a drawback to that unconditional and unselfish love. Because Yuuki loved more than just one person.

Yagari shifted on the bed, throwing the covers off his legs with a sudden movement. "Well, enough talking, Kaien" There was a suggestive tone in that deep voice that made a shiver of reaction crawl up Cross' spine even as his body reacted accordingly.

"So - time for sleep then?" he said as innocently as he could, even as he let of the curtains, shutting out most of the moonlight and plunging Touga's bedroom into darkness again. He moved towards the bed, long light brown hair resting on his shoulders, free from the confines of its usual ponytail. Despite the frail elderly walk he adopted most of the time, there was a certain – sprightliness - in his movements now that belied his actual age. And his body was a lot more toned than one would expect of a sedentary headmaster of a prestigious school.

An answering flash of desire burned in the blue eye looking at him. "Like hell…" said Yagari softly, his low voice like dark chocolate. Seductive and sinfully promising.

Cross chuckled - some things would never change. "Be a little more gentle this time, would you? I'm not thirty anymore…"

Another low, throaty chuckle sounded and Cross resigned himself to staying in bed the following day to recover. It was a good thing tomorrow was Sunday.

-- Chapter End --


	2. Chapter 2: A Tender Moment

**Author Notes:** Well obviously, YenGirl can't be trusted with one shots! _-sighs-_ I honestly meant it to stay as one though. Hop over to my bio profile for more comments...

-- Chapter Start --

Yagari got up from the leather sofa and walked over to the desk, the heels of his boots clicking smartly on the polished wood flooring. It was five o'clock in the late afternoon and he'd stopped by Cross Academy in the hopes of persuading Chairman Cross to join him for dinner tonight, only to find the Headmaster happily immersed in his work, drawing up new school regulations and blissfully ignorant of his increasingly disheveled appearance in general and messy ponytail in particular.

A sardonic eyebrow lifted. "You think this co-existence can still work, don't you, Kaien?" Standing in front of the large wooden desk now, he leaned forward and crossed his arms over the back of the chair in front of him.

Cross looked up from his papers. "Yes, Touga" he said mildly.

Seeing the dark eyebrow lift even higher, Cross glared a little. "Of course I do. More than ever now…" he added adamantly, leaning forward as well and letting go of the papers to place his palms flat on his desk.

Yagari shrugged, breaking the gaze. He wouldn't expect any less from Cross. "More fool you, then" He fished in his jeans pocket for his cigarette casing, making the other man groan. "_Please_, Touga, not in my office!"

As he'd expected, the taller vampire hunter ignored him and lit up anyway. Cross grimaced and waved his hand none too subtly in front of his face as the smoke drifted over to his nose.

Oblivious of, or perhaps deliberately ignoring Cross' discomfort, Yagari strolled to the large window, where the drapes were half open and looked out at the school grounds, dragging on his cigarette. Chairman Cross shook his head resignedly and got up – it was a lucky thing he'd gone on ahead and installed an air ioniser in his study last week. He should have placed it nearer to his desk, though, then he wouldn't have to walk…

Skirting his desk, he stopped suddenly. The recurrent headaches had hit again, courtesy of the knock he'd sustained on his head during the past holiday break. Bright lights exploded behind his eyes and the room spun in a dizzying manner.

"Unhh…" Cross reached out blindly for the edge of his desk, caught it but his fingers slipped. He found himself pitching forward, knees buckling.

"What the – !" Moving faster than one would have expected, the black haired hunter bounded over to him, grabbing his shoulders as Cross dropped to his knees.

"Kaien! You OK?" Cross could hear the urgent concern in the low voice. "I'm fine…" he managed to gasp out, taking one unsteady breath after another, eyes shut tightly, waiting for the pounding in his head to recede. He felt his glasses being removed from his nose before a large and surprisingly gentle hand pressed his face into a familiar smelling leather jacket.

One of Cross's hands was pressed flat against the toned chest covered by the cotton shirt Yagari wore, feeling the strong heartbeat beneath the layer of skin and muscle. Both the chest and heartbeat felt extremely good to him and he inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with Yagari's achingly familiar leather and cigarette smoke scent as the taller hunter silently supported his weight with his other arm around him, without being asked. As Cross had fully expected.

Yagari rarely let anyone see this softer, caring side of him. Most of the time, he kept it well hidden. Too well hidden, Cross would tell him, even though he always felt privileged to be one of the few allowed to witness it. It had taken some time to surface, though. A wry smile twisted his lips as he recalled the first time he'd seen Yagari actually _showing _some emotion other than being a cold, ruthless hunter. And how it had changed… circumstances… for both of them.

Strangely enough, there was no real dominance in this… partnership… Yes, anyone looking at them would probably think otherwise. Yagari was taller, leaner, probably meaner too, complete with cowboy hat, boots and cigarette dangling from his lips - a perfect personification of a cold and ruthless vampire hunter. Cross was the shorter of the two, cheerful, kindly, scatter brained, even a little silly at times.

Yes, if anyone was privy to what they had going on, he or she could totally see Yagari beating the crap out of Cross in and out of the bedroom. But when it was just the two of them, that didn't exist. Yes, the differences in their personalities were there, but the balance for power or dominance between them, if there was any in the first place, shifted and flowed from one to the other and back again, depending on the situation and the occasion. They each took and gave in turn. Even in the bedroom. No, _especially _in the bedroom. It was surprising indeed, but then again, they hadn't even planned on any of this to happen, for goodness' sake – Yagari had been married at that time, and Cross was seeing a succession of beauties.

But it happened, and everything just clicked into place.

Cross sighed, wondering how long he'd been lost in his memories. He was feeling better now and raised his head a little. "I'm OK, Touga" he murmured, patting the shoulder in front of him absently.

"Hmph…" Yagari's arms fell away from him and he leaned back a little, on his haunches. Cross blinked, realising they were both kneeling on the floor a couple of feet away from his desk. Yagari got to his feet with a grunt and pulled Cross up as well, before turning away.

"Ah, what a waste…" the black haired hunter sighed with genuine regret as he surveyed the cigarette butt still smouldering on the wooden floor, where he'd dropped it earlier.

"Aaiiiee!" shrieked Cross. He had slipped his glasses back onto his nose and was now standing beside Yagari. "A burn, you caused a burn, look!" he yelped, almost hopping from one foot to the other in his agitation. His whole attention was on the floor now, headache disappearing as if by magic, and he nudged the small offending butt with his shoe. It rolled over lazily and left a trail of ash in its wake.

"Just look at the mess!" he groused, crouching down and pointing to a small mark on the floor. He looked up accusingly at his friend.

Yagari rolled his remaining blue eye as he stooped to pick up the butt and tossed it with deadly accuracy into the waste basket under Cross' desk.

"Stop fussing" he told Cross shortly. He crouched down as well, pushing away the latter's hand before rubbing at the scorch mark with a lean finger. It disappeared. Well, most of it, anyway. "See? Nothing to worry about…" Resisting the urge to chuckle at the pout on Cross' face, that he actually found inexplicably adorable, Yagari stood up.

Cross did as well, seeing as his pout was ignored anyway. He grabbed a tissue from the box on his desk and polished off the remains of the smudge before wiping up the ash on the floor. At the same time, he quickly cast about in his mind for a change of subject, hoping Yagari wouldn't ask any awkward questions.

No such luck. "So, what was that all about?" Yagari drawled, hands on hips.

Cross pressed his lips into a thin line as he tossed the crumpled up tissue into the waste basket. So much for hoping… "What was what all about?" he attempted an innocent look.

"That 'old man' fainting spell… old man" clarified Yagari bluntly.

Cross averted his gaze, resting a casual hand on his desk. "Nothing"

Strong, lean fingers lifted up his chin with a short jerk. "Bullshit" said Yagari softly.

Cross shrugged. "The doctors said the headaches will go away after a week or so. I'm fine… really..." he explained wearily. He'd said the same thing to Zero and Yuuki too. Only it didn't look like Yagari believed him as much as they did.

The slight frown stayed firmly in place between the silk eye patch and the sharp blue eye. "And how long has it been since that accident?" he asked just as softly. He'd known about it of course. He'd also known how long it had been.

Cross shrugged again, knowing that Yagari already knew the answer. There was a pause. "A month" he admitted reluctantly.

Yagari's hand slipped from Cross' chin to his shoulder. "So why are you still standing? Sit down, damnit!"

Cross allowed himself to be pushed into his chair behind his desk. "Stop fussing" he muttered. Yagari's lips twisted, acknowledging the exact same words being used. He shrugged. "Can't help it, Kaien…"

As the other man looked up at him, the taller vampire hunter's lips quirked. "You're the only 'family' I've got, you know…" he rested one lean hip on the edge of the desk and leaned closer as he braced a hand on the arm rest of Cross' swivel leather chair. A small smile hovered on his well shaped lips as he looked down at him, unruly waves of black hair framing his face.

"You've got Zero too, Touga" murmured Cross, looking up and getting a little lost in the intense look. "Yeah" said Yagari, almost in a whisper, his face softening a little more as he leaned even closer. It made Cross feel just a bit flustered. It wasn't often his partner's look softened or he said something that sounded involuntary, but this was definitely one of those rare times. And for some unfathomable reason, it caused a pang in Cross' heart even as it made his face colour up. Heaven only knew why – after all, they'd known each other for years.

"Don't go all mushy on me, Touga" he said shortly, only his tone was far less brusque than he would have liked it to be.

But it worked all the same. "Yeah, you wish, old man" Yagari sneered, straightening up although he remained half seated on the edge of the desk.

Cross found himself regretting what he'd just said. Perhaps he wanted to have Yagari remain in this mellow mood just a little longer. "Stubborn jackass" he muttered, not even sure whether he meant Yagari or himself.

The black haired hunter scowled. "Fussy old coot" he shot back.

Cross pouted again. He squared his shoulders, opened his mouth to deliver yet another derogatory term but it never came. Yagari had swooped down quite suddenly and kissed him soundly on the lips.

Long blissful moments passed before the heated yet tender kiss ended. "Yes, Kaien... you were saying...?" murmured Yagari teasingly, his warm, supple lips moving softly but persuasively against the other's.

"Ah, uhm…" mumbled Cross, eyes closed, glasses askew, still lost in the magic of the kiss, even though it was flavoured with cigarette smoke. But what the hell, that was familiar too…

Yagari smiled slowly, lips still lightly touching the latter's. Kaien's lips were as soft and smooth as ever – always a delight to kiss. "Exactly" said the dark haired hunter softly before the kiss resumed.

It was a good thing nobody thought of visiting Chairman Cross in his office for the next two hours...

-- Chapter End --

**A/N:** Eeek! I can't believe I wrote them actually kissing! _-moans-_ I am so, so gone... On another note, I don't know if Yagari is or was actually married in the manga but I just thought it would be more interesting.


	3. Chapter 3: Look At Me

**Author Notes:** This scene is just my take on how Cross and Yagari became CrossxYagari. Most of it is told flashback style and will be continued in two more chapters. My apologies for the rather sketchy background details, they are deliberately vague as writing good plots is not one of my key strengths :) More comments in my bio profile.

**Summary:** Cross goes looking for Yagari when the latter loses his eye saving a very young Zero Kiriyu from a beautiful vampire nurse turned Level E.

**Assumptions: **Lots! Cross & Yagari being relatively new partners when they were vampire hunters, Yagari being married, etc. Probably the timing as well, I have put it as happening about ten years ago.

-- Chapter Start --

Cross let himself into Yagari's apartment with his own key. The living room and kitchen were empty but as he stepped into the master bedroom, he could hear the muffled sounds of the shower coming from the attached bathroom. He waited until it had stopped a minute later, resisting the sudden and irrepressible urge to open the door and surprise its occupant.

Giving a cursory knock on the door, he called out "Touga? I'm here already… but take your time"

Yagari's voice replied "Good" a second later. There was a smile in that one word and Cross gave one of his own as he walked over to the double bed and sat down. A second later, he jumped up and started straightening the covers and plumping up the pillows. _Honestly, Touga was such a messy sleeper…_

Righting the alarm clock, which was lying face down on the nightstand, Cross' eyes fell on the blue silk eye patch lying beside it. He reached for it almost automatically, picking it up as he lowered himself onto the edge of the bed. Absently, he fingered the silky material. He had had a whole box of them custom made for Yagari - they were a lot more comfortable than the generic ones he'd been wearing and Cross had made sure the silk matched the exact shade of Yagari's eyes. Or eye as it were.

Cross sighed softly, going back in his memories to the time when Yagari had just lost his right eye protecting young Kiriyu.

_-- Flashback to a time about ten years ago --_

Touga Yagari hadn't shown up at work one day and for four successive days after that. It seemed that he had been hurt protecting one of the students he gave lessons to, from a Level E vampire. Their boss has assured Cross by telephone that his partner wasn't seriously injured and to be honest, Cross was still on assignment, tracking an Level E vampire out of town.

But he'd always been a caring person – some would have said meddlesome, Yagari for one – and there was something a little suspicious in the fact that their boss wouldn't answer Cross' request for more details on how Yagari was doing when he tried to probe further. Also, the fact that his partner wasn't answering his calls as well was a little worrying.

Cross completed his assignment and returned a day later. After handing in his paperwork and feeling that something was seriously wrong, he had charmed the girl at Accounts into handing over Yagari's home address as well as recent medical records. His heart sank when he went through the notes – he now knew the extent of the dark haired hunter's injuries and he'd gone over to his home right after work. It wasn't hard to find the block of apartments, nor the end unit on the third floor.

Yagari was at home but he ignored the knocking at his door.

"Yagari!" The dark haired hunter sighed. He recognised the voice as belonging to that meddlesome Kaien Cross. Yagari knew that if anyone from the Hunter Association actually bothered to come look for him, it would be that absent minded fool. Not that he was completely so, of course. Yagari had started to partner him a couple of times on assignments and found that there was a sharp astute brain and unexpectedly quick reflexes hidden behind that long light brown hair, genial face, glasses and generally absent minded air projected by Kaien Cross.

All the same, he ignored the knocking on his front door. Cross would go away soon. And if he didn't, too bad… Yagari was trying his best to get drunk again tonight didn't intend opening that door anytime soon.

"Yagari! I know you're in there! Open up!" There was more pounding on his front door. The dark haired man on the sofa shrugged and reached for another can of beer. He popped open the tab and took a long draught, uncaring of the dribble that flowed down his unshaven chin and soaked into his unwashed shirt.

He was quite unprepared to find his door flying open suddenly, from the impact of Cross' booted foot. "What the –!"

Bright fluorescent light flooded the room a second later and Yagari winced, hunching over. Cross stepped into the apartment and pivoted to his left, surveying the living room, hands on hips. He took in the cigarette butts and empty beer cans littering the entire living room, from sofa to coffee table and floor. The whole place was, in a word, filthy. As was its lone occupant sitting on the sofa in front of him now, across the dirty coffee table.

The long wavy black hair was familiar, but its greasy and unkempt state was not. The lean and arresting face was recognisable too, but the dark stubble adorning the upper lip and decisive chin was not. And there was the black eye patch affixed over Yagari's right eye. Or where it was supposed to be anyway…

"Go away, Cross" said Yagari in a dull voice Cross had never heard before. It made his heart ache, as did the appearance of the younger man. Yagari's dressing had never been conventional – he favoured his almost cowboy look of long leather coat paired with cotton shirt and slim fitting jeans encased in almost knee high boots... but he'd always taken pride in his appearance. And that was sorely lacking now...

A moment of silence passed, Yagari refusing to meet his partner's gaze as he chugged down was left in his beer can.

"Take off your mask, Yagari" Cross requested, far more gently that he'd originally intended. "Let me see what happened…"

Yagari's head jerked up. "Why?" he asked softly, despair, anger and derision battling in his face. "So you can laugh?" He laughed himself, but it was harsh and humourless. He shook his head. "No way, Cross, old chap. So why don't you just mosey over to the door, which you've just ruined by the way, and take yourself far, far away from this… this…" he waved a hand to indicate the general mess around him.

The whole place stank and Cross couldn't help wrinkling his nose at the unappetising combination of cigarette smoke, stale beer and general unwashed state of Touga Yagari, proud and ruthless vampire hunter. He wondered where Junko, Touga's wife, was since it was obvious the place wouldn't be the pigsty it was now, if she were here.

"I'm not leaving you" he said firmly. _At least, not in this state… it's pathetic… _he thought.

The other man shook his head, the normally shiny black locks now greasy and limp.

Cross fought silently with himself as he skirted the littered coffee table and stood beside Yagari. It was obvious the man was wallowing in self pity… and had been for some days now. Well, it was probably time for a bit of decisive action then…

Cross tightened his lips as he made up his mind. Without warning, he brought his right hand up and slapped Yagari on his left cheek. It wasn't really hard enough to hurt him but the dark haired hunter looked up at him, stunned. His right hand was still holding the beer can but his left one came up automatically to cover his stinging cheek. Both hands thus occupied, he was unable to stop Cross from whipping off his eye patch a second later.

"No!" Yagari gasped out as he swung immediately to his right and hunched further away from his partner. He dropped the nearly empty beer can, using his right hand to cover the wound. It was too late, of course - Cross had already seen the damage. _Dear Lord…_

"No, you don't!" Cross' voice quivered with emotion now. Dropping to his knees beside the other man, he forcefully turned Yagari's face towards him, then dragged his hand away from his face.

Breathing hard, both men stared at each other. Cross was taking in the empty eye socket that had three almost vertical deep red lines running over the slack skin, still dark with bruises. The week-old gashes were deep and had been neatly stitched. So this was the parting gift left by the claws of the Level E vampire nurse who had attacked Yagari's charge – one of the young Kiriyu twins.

Yagari's remaining eye was transfixed upon the mixture of emotions openly mirrored in Cross' brown eyes. Shock. Anger. Disbelief. Pain. Compassion.

But other emotions were missing. Those that had filled Yagari's wife's eyes and face to the exclusion of everything else when he'd forced himself to remove the mask in her presence, desperate for her reassurances and love.

Disgust.

Revulsion.

Scorn.

Yagari gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Disgusting, isn't it?" he grated out.

Cross blinked, then his eyes seemed to focus on Yagari's face instead of just his missing eye. "Disgusting? No…"

"Revolting, then?"

Cross shook his head. "Of course not"

Yagari shrugged. "Junko thought it was…"

_Did she? Oh no... no..._

"She – she's just in shock, Yagari. Give her some time... she - she'll come around..."

Another hollow laugh sounded. Yagari groped for some papers on the coffee table and shook them in Cross' face. "Time? She didn't waste any in sending me the divorce papers…"

Cross' eyes were wide with shock this time. Yagari's shoulders shook again with silent laughter. "I know it's not pretty, Cross… so go away, and you won't have to see this disgusting sight anymore"

Cross bit his lip and shook his head. "Don't hide from me, Yagari. I'm no squeamish female. And I've seen worse. You have, too…"

Yagari kept silent… yes, yes he had. They were vampire hunters after all… But this – this was different. The injured person this time, was himself. He didn't regret his actions, of course. He was sensei to young Zero Kiriyu, who came from the famous Kiriyu family of renowned vampire hunters – he loved the boy. He didn't regret losing an eye if it meant that Zero was safe and alive. It was just that… Yagari sighed. He thought Junko really loved him. But she'd admitted she was blinded by the excitement of being married to a vampire hunter. Yagari was young and confident. Arrogant. He thought he was practically invincible. Apparently, so did Junko… And now, his year long marriage was over.

Cross noted that Yagari was silent and withdrawn now. He let his hands drop and noted with relief the other man didn't turn away. Another long moment of silence then Cross stood up and pulled the other man up from the sofa by his arms. "Enough of this, Yagari. Go take a shower, you stink…"

"Why should I?" Yagari's voice was quiet. Almost lifeless.

"So that I can take you to dinner, that's why…" Cross replied heartily as he held himself firmly in check, battling his innate urge to smother Yagari with one of the bear hugs for which he was justly famous – or infamous – for.

Yagari turned slowly. "Because you feel sorry for me?"

Cross forced himself to roll his eyes. "Why should I feel sorry for you? That eye patch is just going to add to your… appeal… and you know it…" Cross paused, frowning. Yes – yes, somehow, it did. Yagari had always had that aura around him, of being one who didn't usually toe the line. Of being a rebel. Of being just a little bit… bad - quite the opposite of Cross who happily followed rules and regulations to a T. And with those shiny waves of black hair, lean figure in slim fitting jeans and high boots, damn if the eye patch didn't just tie it all together for Touga Yagari. Cross found himself shaking his head just a little ruefully.

Yagari regarded him with a slight frown then he shrugged and brushed past him. He headed towards his bedroom, shaking his head a little as if he thought the other man quite off his rocker. Cross used the next twenty minutes filling a garbage bag with the cigarette butts and beer cans. He hated litter and dirt with a passion.

When Yagari appeared at the bedroom door, his step masked by the vacuum cleaner going at full speed, Cross looked up. The taller hunter looked a darn sight better – freshly showered, shaven and dressed in a clean shirt and jeans. His long hair had been thoroughly shampooed and brushed back from the lean face. The jutting cheekbones were more pronounced now, as if Yagari hadn't been eating much and Cross felt an almost paternal pang at this.

He switched off the vacuum cleaner. In the sudden silence, he cleared his throat and spoke a little hesitantly. "I'm sorry I didn't come earlier. My assignment – "

"Stuff it, Cross. I know you were outstation" cut in Yagari in a deliberately bored tone.

Cross started to apologise for slapping him, but again, the other man cut him off. "Well, where are you taking me? Since I'm now single, available and apparently attractive – your words, not mine - might as well get drunk and get laid, huh?"

Cross winced a little as the deliberately blunt words but didn't offer any comment as he crossed over and peeked into Yagari's bedroom. Taking in the state of the rumpled covers, he commented "You might want to clean up your place a little before bringing back any ladies…"

Shaking his head, he switched off the light and herded Yagari out the door after the taller hunter had snatched up his eye mask from the now cleared coffee table. "And ladies will have to wait, Yagari. You're sleeping at my place tonight…"

Cross was filled with a sudden and undeniable urge to take care of his partner, and if that meant keeping Yagari at his own house and force feeding him, so be it.

_-- End Flashback --_

"Hey…"

Cross started, brought back to the present. He looked up. Yagari was standing on the bathroom mat about five feet away, wearing nothing but a smile as he toweled his long hair briskly.

"You wanna wear that, Kaien?" he asked, nodding his head at the scrap of silk still in Cross' hand. "Or are you just holding it because you miss me…"

Cross grinned, catching the sudden glint in the other man's eye. He placed the mask back on the nightstand, stood up and stepped nimbly out of the way as the taller man walked over and reached for him.

Cross chuckled at the disappointed look on Yagari's face. "Huh uh, dinner first, Touga. I just made the bed, after all…"

A rumbling sound ensued from the naked and leanly muscled abdomen in front of him and Cross chuckled again. It was a good thing Yagari was also hungry for food.

-- Chapter End --


	4. Chapter 4: Meeting Little Yuuki

**Author Notes: **The next chapter! Hope it still keeps you interested in this odd yet interesting pairing. More comments in my bio profile.

**Summary:** Yagari meets a very young Yuuki while at Cross' house for dinner one night.

**Assumptions: **That Yuuki met Yagari at that time, since she doesn't seem to remember who he is in the manga when he shot Zero (Chapter 8), nor did he act like he remembered her, either! :D And Zero's not living with Cross and Yuuki just yet.

-- Chapter Start --

A tall man with long wavy black hair and a slightly shorter man with long light brown hair sat at a small table in a cafe having black coffee one afternoon. They sat there mostly in silence with just occasional remarks and smiles, but it wasn't the awkward silence of two persons who had just met each other. Rather, it was the comfortable silence one experienced with someone very close and familiar. The taller man's right eye was obscured by a silk blue eye patch but his left more than made up for his, darting here and there as if forever aware of his surroundings. Every so often, he would glance at a small family seated at the next table. The young parents chatted to each other while a little girl played with her brother.

The girl was around six years old and her younger brother looked to be around two years of age. At one point, the little boy tugged on her sister's long black hair and she laughed before flicking it back over her shoulders. Both men at the next table caught a glimpse of a sweet heart shaped face with a pair of large dark eyes, and it instantly brought a flash of memory back to each of them.

_-- Flashback --_

Cross whistled to himself as he sliced vegetables and dropped them into a bubbling pot on the stove. It may not be a requisite attribute for a vampire hunter but Cross actually liked cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. He found it relaxing, and if there was actually someone else to cook for, so much the better! He supposed the actual _skill _part of it would eventually come with time.

It was a couple of weeks since he'd gone to Yagari's apartment after knowing about his accident, and he'd succeeded in dragging the taller hunter to his house for a home cooked meal twice since then – this was the third time. But since he didn't live alone anymore, he'd given strict instructions to Momoyama-san, his housekeeper, to keep little Yuuki hidden in her room, and occupied with her toys while Yagari was there. Cross frowned to himself as he stirred the bubbling stew. There was always a risk his partner would hear her voice, of course, but he'd already prepared an excuse to explain Yuuki's presence, if needed. He only hoped he wouldn't have to use it – Yagari was too good at reading people.

It would never do for Touga Yagari to find out about who Yuuki was, how she came to be living with him, and most importantly, who had saved her life and brought her here. After all, how many vampire hunters were on surprisingly good terms with a teenaged pureblood vampire, other than Kaien Cross?

But he'd promised himself to take care of Yagari ever since that night he'd burst into his apartment and saw the state his partner was in, and once Cross got it into his mind to mother and take care of someone, well… he was practically immoveable. Yuuki Cross was a perfect example of this.

- o -

Yagari stretched out his long legs in front of him, crossing them at the ankles. The sofa was a three seater and he was occupying the centre seat, seeing as it directly faced the TV. He was looking at the screen in front of him but his attention was elsewhere. Cross had mentioned a housekeeper but the couple of times he'd been here, he'd seen no sign of that lady anywhere even though he had to admit the house was spotlessly clean. Well, that was only to be expected, since Cross was a fanatic about cleanliness… Yagari had grown quite adept at tuning out his partner's constant nagging about the state of his apartment. But he'd have expected it would be the housekeeper pottering around in the kitchen, getting their dinner ready, and not Cross himself. Ah well, there was just no explaining some people. And Cross did appear to be the motherly type – that was obvious from the way he fussed over people.

Yagari's lips quirked a little despite himself – Cross' cooking was surprisingly decent, or at least to his taste, but he didn't expect any liver based dishes on the menu tonight, having threatened to stop coming here on the first night itself if Cross persisted in trying to make him eat liver.

Suddenly Yagari stiffened. He thought he'd heard the muffled sounds of a small child laughing, only it stopped abruptly, as if the child had been checked by someone. Yagari's eyebrows rose. Cross had a child? He wasn't married and he'd never indicated he had a child living with him… perhaps it was the housekeeper's then?

Shrugging to himself, Yagari slouched on the sofa, picking up the remote control lying on the coffee table to switch channels. A door opened and closed in the corridor that lay on the left side of the living area, and a middle aged lady appeared. She didn't seem surprised to see Yagari there, but her eyes lingered for a moment on his eye patch before she smiled and bowed. He nodded but didn't offer any greetings. This must be Cross' housekeeper, Yagari assumed.

It wasn't easy but the one eyed hunter was slowly coming to terms with his appearance now. Cross had actually been right - in a way. The few females who worked at the Hunters Association had assured Yagari that his eye patch fit with his overall image and lent a certain rakish air to his appearance, but it hadn't escaped his observation that they didn't seem too eager to find out what lay behind it, all the same.

The housekeeper disappeared into the kitchen behind him. Barely fifteen seconds later, Yagari heard a door open and close again in the same corridor. He glanced towards his left to find that a pair of wide brown eyes housed in a small heart shaped face. Both eyes were watching him curiously.

So there was a child living here after all – a little girl around five or six years of age. She had long dark hair that fell straight past her shoulders, and she froze when she realised the long haired stranger sitting on the sofa was now looking back at her.

Yagari offered a cautious smile and nod. He didn't really have an affinity with children, especially little girls, but he was sensei to the Kiriyu twins after all… "Hey there" he called softly.

The little girl uttered a small gasp and took a step backwards, her back and arms glued to the wall. Yagari bit back a grin and deliberately ignored her, turning his gaze back to the TV. If she was more curious than afraid, that would prompt her to come out if she sensed he wasn't interested.

Yagari was right. In barely a minute's time, the little girl had progressed from the corridor to the edge of the sofa he was sitting on. Her large brown eyes hadn't left him for even a second as she stood there quietly. Yagari didn't move a muscle, a little intrigued in spite of himself. She was a pretty child but so far she hadn't uttered a word.

Out of the perimeter of his vision, he saw her take a step closer, her small hands touching the arm of the sofa. Then she took another step closer. Ah… perhaps this wasn't a good idea after all - Yagari shot the kitchen doorway behind him a very slightly panicked look before staring fixedly at the TV, wondering where the hell Cross was, and if he should call him.

Before another minute had passed, the girl had actually climbed up onto the sofa next to him. Very slowly, Yagari turned his head to the left and met her large and curious gaze. She was kneeling there, regarding him with her head tilted a little to the side, as though he were an interesting exhibit on display. Her gaze roved over his hair and his face but came back to his eye patch all the time - she seemed fascinated by it.

The child smelled nice, a combination of shampoo and baby powder. Yagari's lips parted; he wanted to say "Hello" but the word died on his tongue when the little girl reached out her right hand with her index finger sticking out. He stopped breathing as she leaned forward enough to offer an experimental poke at his eye patch. "It's hard…" she pronounced after a moment, frowning to herself.

Yagari swallowed. _Hell, he knew that... _

''... and not... " The little finger slid down the smooth surface of the patch and glided onto his right cheek before pressing into his skin lightly. "...soft" completed the little girl. She tilted her head to the other side, regarding him. "What is that?" she asked him. "Why are you wearing it?"

Yagari stared at her. He didn't know what to say.

- o -

Cross swallowed as well. He was standing in the doorway of the kitchen as his housekeeper busied herself preparing Yuuki's dinner. He supposed he should have gone immediately to Yuuki's room when his housekeeper appeared in the kitchen but he hadn't expected that she would leave her room so soon. Well, perhaps he should have – she was a curious child after all.

But every time he opened his mouth to say something, he found himself closing it again. Because little Yuuki was surprisingly unafraid of Yagari, and because of the look on the hunter's face now, that told Cross how insecure his partner actually was with the way he looked now, with his… deformity. At that moment, Cross found himself hoping fervently that somehow, he or someone would be able to take that look away. Because it just didn't fit Yagari to look so... so... lost.

Then Cross held his breath as little Yuuki reached out and touched the black eye patch in front of her. He heard her innocent voice clearly. And again when she touched Yagari's cheek. And when she asked why, Cross realised he should intervene. Now.

But before he could utter a word, Yagari spoke, that low voice uncharacteristically soft. "My eye was hurt, and I don't have it anymore…"

The brown eyes widened a little more. "Oh" said the little girl as she snatched back her hand, leaning back a little. Cross suffered a pang in his heart as he saw Yagari's lips twist at Yuuki's innocent reaction.

"Are you… afraid?" asked Yagari softly. Both he and Cross held their breaths now.

Then Yuuki smiled and shook her head. "'Course not" she said, with the sort of supreme confidence children possessed. She seemed to think Yagari's open mouthed astonishment was funny and even giggled a little before suddenly remembering she wasn't supposed to be out of her room in the first place. "Got to go…" she mumbled, scrambling down from the sofa and hurrying to the corridor. There, she turned back again. "Bye" she said, giving him a little smile before disappearing back into her room. Yagari was too surprised to return her smile and he stared at the now empty corridor for a full minute before turning back to the TV.

Cross moved back silently into the kitchen, his eyes suspiciously moist. His dear Yuuki… she wasn't able to speak when she first came to live with him... and she'd suffered a bad experience that night... but in some ways, she was fearless. And for some reason, her cute observations stayed in his mind. Hard… soft… yes, little Yuuki was right. That eye patch didn't look at all comfortable. As the housekeeper returned to Yuuki's room with her dinner on a tray, Cross found himself wondering if there was something he could do about getting more comfortable and perhaps even stylish ones for his partner, to boost his confidence.

- o -

The two men ate their dinner in silence for a while, Cross covertly observing Yagari's improved appetite with almost gleeful satisfaction.

"So… you have a child staying here, Cross?" Yagari paused to take a drink of water.

_Well, he'd been expecting this question, hadn't he? _

"Ah, my niece. Momoyama-san helps to baby-sit her sometimes…" Cross waved his spoon airily.

"Hmmm"

"Why, did you see her?" Cross asked, his heart beating painfully fast, even though he appeared outwardly calm.

Yagari nodded and shrugged. "She came out of her room for a couple of minutes while you were busy in the kitchen" He paused, then added in a carefully off handed tone "Didn't seem afraid of me…"

Cross chuckled, relieved. "That's little Yuuki for you. She's a curious child - did she say anything?" He held his breath.

Yagari kept his gaze on the bowl in front of him. "Not really" he replied. He didn't see the small grin on the other man's face.

_-- End of Flashback--_

Cross glanced at his friend now and smiled. "Quit staring at the child, Touga. You're freaking her mother out…"

The dark haired hunter started, glanced at the rather apprehensive looking mother at the next table and gave an apologetic nod, then turned to Cross. "Sorry" he drawled. "She just… reminded me of someone…"

Cross smiled, his eyes lingering on the blue silk patch on Yagari's face. "Me too" he said quietly. It was a good thing he hadn't intervened when he saw little Yuuki with Yagari that time.

-- Chapter End --


	5. Chapter 5: Yagari's Birthday Gift

**Author Notes:** The next chapter in my CrossxYagari fic. Enjoy!

**Summary:** Once upon a vampire hunter's birthday. Like the previous few chapters, it is told as a flashback.

**Appreciation:** Thank you to **AgateLinks **for looking over this chapter, reassuring me that it's OK, and reassuring me further that I'm not strange for wanting to write about this pairing :D Thanks, dear!

-- Chapter Start --

It was half past eleven o'clock at night and the Headmaster of Cross Academy was alone in his living room. His two children, Zero Kiriyu and Yuuki Cross, had already retired to bed so he had the TV all to himself.

Flipping idly through the channels, a hair shampoo commercial caught his attention. It showed a young woman in a trendy sweat suit jogging in a park on a bright afternoon. As the camera zoomed in on her wavy black hair that reached past her shoulders, a female voice in the background extolled on her 'bouncy' and 'vibrantly alive' hair, courtesy of using a particular brand of shampoo.

Kaien Cross knew someone with hair like that as well, only it wasn't the young woman on TV. Heck, it wasn't even a _woman_. A soft smile touched his lips as he recalled the first time he'd consciously admitted to himself that he actually wanted to touch Touga Yagari's hair.

_Of all things...!_

_-- Flashback --_

Cross rang the doorbell of Yagari's apartment, holding a shopping bag in one hand. After a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a bare chested Yagari, clad only in his jeans.

"Oh, sorry - did I come at a bad time?" enquired Cross as he took in the admittedly - though unexpectedly – appealing sight, wondering if his partner was expecting or already entertaining female company. Yagari's tanned shoulders and chest were leanly muscled and Cross wondered just how often did he work out to maintain that great set of abs.

The taller hunter shook his head as he stepped aside so that Cross could enter. "Nope, no plans, just going to take my shower" He closed the door, then waved at the living room. "Make yourself at home" he threw over his shoulder before disappearing into his bedroom.

_No plans? Excellent...!_

Cross grinned to himself – in his opinion, that casual invitation was hardly required since he had a habit of doing just that, in any case. He took out a small cake box from the shopping bag and placed it on the dining table before wandering into the kitchen and washing up a couple of dirty dishes he found in the sink. Then he helped himself to two small plates and dessert forks, and placed them on the dining table, beside the cake box.

The hunter extracted two more boxes from the bag before going into Yagari's bedroom. He could hear the sound of water running from the attached bathroom and grinned to himself in anticipation of his partner's surprise.

Cross placed both boxes on the nightstand beside Yagari's unmade bed. The smaller of the two boxes was white and square, with beautiful gold writing on it. The larger one was rectangular, dark blue and reminiscent of those housing a dozen handkerchiefs for men.

Eyeing the rumpled covers on the bed, Cross sighed. His fingers itched to straighten the covers but he resolutely resisted, choosing instead to sit gingerly on the edge of the mattress before glancing around the room.

The sound of the bathroom door opening suddenly made his head swing around. Yagari stood frozen there in the doorway, one hand toweling his long wet hair, the other holding his jeans. A long string of expletives tumbled from his mouth – he was stark naked and Cross was staring open mouthed at him as if he'd never seen a naked man before. Which of course, wasn't true since he was one to begin with.

"Cross – geez, what the hell are you doing in my bedroom?" he burst out, turning to his right, automatically shielding that side of his face again. That snapped Cross out of his trance and he quickly dropped his gaze. Not a very wise decision since Yagari still spectacularly unclothed. "Ah – I wanted to give you – uh, something" he stuttered. Mentally, he made a note to hit the gym more often. _No wonder ladies flocked to Yagari, eye patch or no eye patch…_

Yagari had dropped his jeans and was now whipping the towel around his waist. Cross politely, if belatedly, shifted his gaze. It actually said something that the taller hunter had somehow subconsciously chosen to shield his face first, before his body. After a moment of silence, Cross chanced another peek. Yagari turned back to face him, his right hand cupping his empty eye socket.

For some reason, that annoyed Cross. Badly. Forgetting his earlier embarrassment, he jumped up from the bed and strode forward, catching his partner unawares as he once more dragged that protective hand down. "Will you stop that!" he demanded, his hand gripping Yagari's shower cooled one tightly. "I already told you – you don't have to hide your face from me!"

Yagari swallowed. Instinctively, as his hand was pulled down, he had turned his face away, even bending his head a little to let the long, wavy wet hair hang forward, but at his partner's words, he froze again.

Cross waited. Silently. Still gripping his hand.

After what seemed like an eternity, Yagari finally straightened and faced him again squarely. Cross' eyes openly studied the healed but still tender looking lines over the empty eye socket, nodding a little to himself. Then his eyes shifted to look at Yagari's remaining eye. "That's better… and I see you've had the stitches removed as well" he observed quietly.

Cross' direct look and impersonal remark was appropriate at that moment, and they touched Yagari deeply. "Yes, this afternoon, in fact…" A moment later, he added a little hesitantly "I – sorry, it's become a sort of... habit" He finally seemed to realise Cross was still holding his hand and he pulled at it.

The other hunter blinked, looking down before releasing his hand immediately. "Well" he said. "Don't hide from me again, Yagari. I – " he broke off, at a sudden loss for words.

"I know, you don't care…" Yagari said somewhat wearily. Cross really was one of those persons you couldn't push away even if you tried. He sighed, knowing he should be more appreciative of his friend's caring attitude. After all, he'd felt so pathetically pleased a few moments ago that someone could actually look at him sans his eye patch, really _look _at him and not flinch…

Cross smiled suddenly. "Not I don't _care_, Yagari… I don't _mind_" he corrected his friend gently.

There was another long moment of silence as the taller hunter looked at him rather uncertainly. Cross finally broke the silence. Clapping his hands together and rubbing them briskly, he said "Well! I came in here because I wanted to give you something…" He turned and strode back to the bed. His hand reached automatically for the smaller white box on the nightstand then he seemed to hesitate before picking up the larger box instead.

Swinging around and holding it out to Yagari, he announced "Happy Birthday!"

Yagari didn't take it but stared at his partner instead. "How did you know it was my birthday?" he asked before staring suspiciously at the box. "What's in it?" he asked, sceptically this time.

Cross sighed theatrically. "Open it and you'll see…" he said with somewhat exaggerated patience. Yagari took a step closer. It actually reminded him of a handkerchief box and he wondered if that was what Cross had gotten for him. Not that he was a handkerchief-carrying sort of guy…

His breath caught in his throat as he flipped up the lid, Cross still holding the box. No, they weren't handkerchiefs at all… Yagari's fingers trembled a little as they lifted out one of around forty pieces of small, identical looking, rectangular blue silk. Each was neatly rolled up, with thin, beige coloured tapes attached to both ends.

They were eye patches. Blue silk ones… soft to the touch, not like that nasty, uncomfortable and itchy one he was starting to get used to. Startled and touched beyond words, he glanced up at his partner.

Cross smiled softly. That unexpected and completely incredulous look itself was worth at least five boxes of the ridiculously expensive scraps of silk. "Custom made" he said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Try one on…"

Yagari gave him a deep look before turning around to the dresser beside him. Quickly, he held the silk to his missing eye then drew the tapes behind his head and around his right ear before knotting them at the back of his head. He blew out a soft sigh of wonder. The eye patch fitted perfectly… like a second skin.

Yagari swallowed again, his gaze meeting Cross in the mirror as the shorter hunter stepped up behind him, a grin appearing on his face as he saw how well it fit. And that shade…

"The colour… it's the same as my eyes… eye…" murmured Yagari. He moved his facial muscles experimentally, alternately smiling and frowning. The cutting was perfect too – the silk covered every bit of the marks on his face but didn't interfere with the bridge of his nose or anywhere else. It just… fit.

Cross beamed with pride as his partner turned around to face him. "Thanks" Yagari murmured, still looking just a little bit lost. That look made something prick at the backs of Cross' eyes but he ignored it. "You're welcome" he said simply, trying to keep his voice even.

"When - how did you get it to fit so well?" Yagari sounded curious as he turned to face the mirror once more.

Cross shrugged. "I took you to the hospital to change the dressing that one time, remember? I noticed that the gauze pad on that day fit very well, so I just… confiscated it…" Without waiting for his stunned partner to reply, he chuckled quietly and put the box on the dresser. Then he turned back to the nightstand and picked up the smaller box. "Oh, and something else as well…"

Yagari frowned as he followed him. "What is that?" he asked warily, having caught the sly tone in the other man's voice this time. Cross' brown eyes were wide and innocent looking as he opened the box and extracted a small round frosted glass jar with a gold cover. "Oh, just something to ensure those scratches don't get infected" he explained airily.

_Scratches? Oh, is that what they were? Mere scratches? _

Yagari rolled his remaining eye. "Of course they won't - they're already healed" He made a sudden grab for the bottle but Cross was quicker, holding it away. "Go lie down on the bed…"

"What? Why?" Yagari's tone was definitely suspicious this time.

Cross fixed him a stern look. "I'll show you once you do as you're told." Then he added cunningly "And I'll only give you the eye patches if you agree to this"

Yagari couldn't resist a glance back at the larger box on his dresser. Then he shrugged before walking over to the bed. He stretched out on top of the rumpled covers, still only clad in the damp towel and uncaring of his wet hair on his pillow.

Cross sat down beside him and both of them froze for a moment, suddenly feeling just a bit uncomfortable at their close proximity. Then, avoiding each other's gazes, Yagari shifted inwards a little and Cross moved back an inch.

"This is ridiculous, I'm wearing cosmetics now?" the dark haired hunter groused, more to hide his embarrassment than anything else.

"Now, now, this will only take a moment" fussed Cross as he unscrewed the gold top and carefully removed the protective plastic cover inside. He placed both on the nightstand before bringing the glass jar up to his nose and sniffing it appreciatively. "Ah, smells good!" Then he glanced at Yagari who was still eyeing him with some trepidation. "Well, go on, remove that…" he said, nodding at the silk eye patch his friend was wearing.

Yagari hesitated before slipping it off. In the meantime, Cross had switched on the bedside lamp on the nightstand. Yagari winced, his hand automatically rising to his face once more.

A gentle hand on his shoulder stayed him. "I told you… you don't have to hide from me" said Cross quietly, his eyes serious. Yagari nodded, his hand falling back to the bed. There was another moment of silence before Cross broke the gaze to touch the tip of his index finger to the creamy contents of the jar in his other hand.

Yagari's other eye fluttered shut. "What the hell is that?" he mumbled as he felt the soft fragrant cream being stroked onto his skin, Cross' movements incredibly gentle. "It actually helps to reduce the scarring" he murmured, a small frown in between his eyebrows. It was a whitening cream and _would _help to reduce the redness of the scars but he knew they would remain there forever, a constant reminder of what his partner had lost when he defended young Kiriyu from that Level E vampire.

Cross sighed. It was only one of the things he hated about his job… He leaned closer now, checking to see if he'd covered every inch of the marks. Wait - there was an old scar over Yagari's other eyebrow as well, right? There it was. No harm trying out the cream on it too…

The other man sighed. "Hey, you giving me a facial now, Cross?" he asked, sounding rather torn between annoyance and amusement. He opened his eye, and found his attention caught by his partner's light brown hair, gleaming in the soft lamplight.

Cross had straight but very fine hair, like a girl's, really… it was so fine that strands of it would inevitably escape his ponytail as the day wore on. More than once, Yagari's fingers had itched with a very, very disturbing urge to smooth back the wayward strands, or tuck them behind Cross' ear… an urge that he suppressed immediately.

Smoothing the cream into the small puckered scar above the dark eyebrow, Cross was trying not to be distracted by the appealingly familiar scent of Yagari's shampoo arising from the wet wavy tendrils spread over the pillow. Yagari' hair was… nice. Jet black, shiny… and – and _bouncy_, as how the voice over for the hair commercials on TV would put it. More than once, he'd wanted to find out what such hair would, well, actually _feel _like… not that he would ever get a chance to find out, of course. Cross could just imagine his partner's surprised reaction if he were to actually try to do that.

_Horrified _reaction would be more like it…

"There. All done!" he finally stated a few minutes later when he could find no other line, mark or scar on Yagari's face to tend to. Cross paused. The other hunter was still silent, eye closed… and he wondered for a moment if his partner had actually dropped off to sleep under his expert ministrations. They were both quiet now and Cross opened his mouth then shut it again, suddenly loathe to break the soft hush.

But Yagari wasn't sleeping. It was just that it felt so… soothing… to have someone fussing over him like this. Even if that person wasn't Junko (his ex-wife), or one of the ladies he was now dating, but his partner. But there was a sweet sort of familiarity about it being Cross, about it being someone he was quite comfortable with and could trust, someone in whose presence he could actually let his guard down... a little...

After a moment, his eye flickered open. Cross was still sitting beside him, screwing the lid back onto the jar before placing it back on the nightstand. Somehow, the fact that he wasn't actually _looking _at him at that moment prompted Yagari to do something he never would have thought of doing if he wasn't feeling so relaxed and comfortable now. He reached out and closed his fingers over Cross' other hand, resting on the sheets beside him. Briefly, he squeezed the hand.

Cross's head jerked towards his hand, then to Yagari's face, making the taller hunter freeze, a senseless apology bubbling on his tongue. But the other hunter seemed merely surprised, not shocked. And after a moment, he smiled. "You're welcome" he said, making the assumption that his partner was merely trying to convey his appreciation but was too moved to do so verbally.

Yagari gave a brief nod before letting go of Cross' hand. He hadn't actually meant thanks… or perhaps he did, but it wasn't gratitude for the eye patches and the cream. Per se. It was sort of thanks to Cross for coming to see him, for being there for him, for fussing over him in that annoying if somewhat endearing manner of his, for not looking at him like he was some – some sort of a monster, for… caring… for him. Yes… it was that sort of thanks actually…

After a short silence, Cross gave a rather absent minded pat on Yagari's hand. "Well, get dressed then" he said, before standing up quickly and reaching for the discarded box and plastic cover. He turned to walk out of the bedroom and paused by the door to quip "I'll send you the bill later…"

The brown haired hunter walked into the kitchen and tossed the box and cover in the rubbish bin under the kitchen sink before leaning on the counter, staring unseeingly out of the window. Goodness, what had he been _thinking_? When he felt his partner squeezing his hand and turned to see the soft expression in that normally cool blue eye, he'd had a sudden urge to return the squeeze. And worse, he'd had another urge of even wanting to hug Yagari. Hard.

Cross hugged people all the time, he was one of those rather 'touchy feely' sort of people and he knew it. But there were people you could offer a hug to… and there were people you couldn't, unless you knew them very, very well. He knew Yagari belonged in the latter group. Maybe. Besides, they were both males and _partners_, for goodness' sake. Honestly, how many vampire hunters went around hugging their partners?

But at that moment, the urge to wrap his arms around the younger man was so strong, Cross had to escape, and quickly. Before he did something that would have probably scarred Yagari for life. Not to mention shooting their partnership to hell.

Cross took a deep breath before resolutely walking out of the kitchen. He took the small cake out of the box but ignored the candle - there was such as a thing as going too far.

When the black haired hunter came out of his bedroom, he didn't seem surprised to see the cake, merely arching his brow at it. Cross grinned, his heart warming ridiculously at the sight of the blue eye patch on Yagari's face. It was kind of unfair but he'd just helped to up his partner's sex appeal at least tenfold. "Happy Birthday" he said again. "And you're buying me dinner, by the way…"

Yagari fought with himself for a few seconds then finally cracked a grin. _What the hell…_

_-- End Flashback --_

Another soft smile touched Cross' lips. No, he hadn't managed to touch Touga's hair that evening. But he had... many months later...

-- Chapter End --


	6. Chapter 6: Growing Attraction

**Author Notes:** The next chapter on how our two vampire hunters became just a little closer. I hope it doesn't make you wince. Or cringe. Or break out in goose bumps. In any case, enjoy...!

**Appreciation:** Thank You again to **AgateLinks **for looking over this chapter and giving her valued comments. Thank you to **Blackened Wing** for her valued hint on Cross' dream... which I hadn't really thought about. Thanks, dears!

-- Chapter Start --

Cross stirred in his sleep, mumbling as something soft tickled his nose. But the fragrance and texture of it was familiar to him and even without opening his eyes, he knew what it was – Yagari's long wavy black hair. Cross' face was buried in the luxuriant masses, his arm around the other man's lean waist. The feel of that hair brought back a sweet if rather painful memory to Cross… the first time he'd actually touched it.

_-- Flashback --_

It was six months since the incident in which Touga Yagari had lost his right eye to a crazed Level E vampire. Cross had finally tendered his resignation to the Hunters Association a couple of weeks earlier, in order to take care of Yuuki and follow his dream of starting an Academy for both humans and vampires.

This was one of his last assignments and he and Yagari were out of town to check out reports of attacks by another Level E vampire. It was early evening by the time they reached the town and after checking into a hotel, they went over to the scene of the crime.

Yagari had already crossed the street and Cross broke into a jog to catch up with his partner. The taller hunter's easy stride made the long dark waves of his black hair dance and glint in the sunlight. Again, that strange… want… to touch Yagari's hair rippled through Cross, but he suppressed it immediately. This… yearning… would pop up at the most inopportune of moments and he wished it wouldn't – it wasn't as if he could indulge it, without making his partner freak out.

Only Cross did find out… that very night itself. The Level E vampire they had been tracking for two days now suddenly leapt down from a roof right on top of him as they entered a dark alley, sending his gun skittering. The brown haired hunter would have sustained more serious injuries if Yagari hadn't whipped around at his cry of alarm and fired that shot exactly three seconds later, killing the crazed vampire on the spot and splattering both of them with her blood.

- o -

Cross exhaled sharply on a little gasp as his wound stung.

"Quit sniveling, would you?" Yagari's tone was short… brusque… as if he found the very sound of it distasteful.

Both of them had returned to their shared hotel room and were standing in front of the vanity top in the adjoining bathroom now. Even though he wasn't injured, Yagari had shed his shirt too since it was also soiled with blood, both Cross' as well as the Level E's.

The claw marks on Cross' right shoulder weren't deep enough to warrant a more thorough check up by a medical practioner and frankly, neither of them were keen on the suspicious questions that would inevitably follow. Hence Yagari playing doctor to his partner now…

The dark haired hunter's strong and lean fingers were surprisingly gentle though, as they swabbed at the scratches on Cross' right shoulder with a cotton pad soaked in antiseptic solution. The injured man shuddered as he leaned back against the vanity top – his shoulder was on fire, the wound looked inflamed (and was most likely infected), the antiseptic stung like no other and he was told in no uncertain terms that he _sniveled_? Of course he didn't! Kaien Cross _never _sniveled. He sniffed a little at the very notion.

His face grim, Yagari tossed the blood soaked cotton into the wastebasket below the vanity and reached for a fresh piece from the plastic bag nearby. Cross gritted his teeth as the freshly soaked cotton touched his torn flesh, tears of sheer pain welling up in his eyes despite his valiant attempt to stop them. "Uhnh" he groaned softly. The long fingers paused for two seconds. Then they continued. "Sorry…" Yagari muttered, sounding even more angry than before.

Cross blinked back his tears, looking at his partner suspiciously but the taller hunter was studiously looking at the angry wounds. "It's hardly your fault it stings" the injured man sniffed.

Yagari cut him a look, his blue eye unreadable. "Sorry I didn't get her in time… and you got hurt"

Cross looked startled. Then he carefully shrugged his uninjured shoulder. "I was too slow" he muttered. There was silence for a long moment as the single blue eye glittered with regret, and the brown pair mirrored a silent thanks.

Then Yagari's gaze dropped and he continued cleaning the wound before tossing the soiled cotton in the wastebasket. "And… you don't snivel" This was said very quietly.

Cross looked even more startled. Well, _that _was unexpected. Belatedly, he tried to cover his surprise. "Of _course _I don't. Even though -" he started huffily, only to be interrupted.

"Even though it hurts like the blazes. I know." There was another moment of silence as the taller hunter rummaged in the first aid box lying open on the vanity top for the roll of bandages. As he taped up the scratches, Cross caught himself again staring at the long black hair just inches away from his nose.

The taller man straightened up and kept back the used items in the box. He held up a strip of aluminium foil housing white tablets. "Do you need painkillers?"

Cross started to nod his head, then changed his mind and shook it decisively. _A person who needed painkillers was probably one who sniveled as well…_

Yagari grinned wryly, reading his mind easily. "Take it, Cross. Otherwise, you're in for a sleepless night. And that means I will, too" He continued holding out the aluminium foil and reluctantly, Cross accepted it, his fingers lightly brushing the other's. But surprisingly, Yagari didn't relinquish the foil immediately, nor move his hand away. So the light contact stayed in place, both of them deliberately ignoring it.

"Does it still hurt?" Yagari asked quietly after a rather awkward moment.

Oh boy, did it _ever_ – Cross had a headache now, the wounds on his shoulder felt raw, the antiseptic solution continued to burn in his flesh… and his throat went suddenly dry at the intense way his partner was looking at him now. So even if it didn't… "Yes, it hurts" he found himself admitting.

Another long and almost unbearable moment of staring at each other passed. An eternity of Yagari looking uncharacteristically lost and uncertain, and an eternity of Cross looking strangely expectant and nervous. Then the dark haired hunter swallowed and said huskily "Well, what are you waiting for? Come here…"

Cross didn't move, frozen in place, but Yagari did. Strong bare arms reached for him and wrapped tightly around him, pulling him close. Cross stiffened for a moment in complete shock before letting his body relax in Yagari's completely unexpected embrace. Closing his still wet eyes, he rested his poor aching head on that strong bare shoulder, needing the comfort he was being offered now, needing to feel close to the other, needing to feel cared for. That hard chest, that warm skin and equally warm hug felt good… soothing…

Cross was trembling with reaction – delayed shock, he called it - and he hoped Yagari hadn't notice. He was also sniffling a little but hoped Yagari hadn't noticed that as well. But most of all, he was intensely aware that their bare chests were now pressed flush against each other's and he hoped fervently that if Yagari couldn't fail to notice this one fact, he would at least ignore it.

It hurt too much for Cross to lift his right arm now but his left hesitantly rose to curl around the taller man's shoulder before he finally, finally, let his shaking fingers slide slowly through that dark mane of vibrant, wavy hair.

- o -

There was a strange, unexplainable ache in Yagari's heart as he peeled off his partner's torn shirt, before surveying the angry red weals left by the claws of the Level E. His lips tightened but he didn't say a word as he flipped open the first aid box on the counter and reached for fresh cotton and the bottle of antiseptic solution.

When the wet cotton touched the wound, Cross exhaled sharply on a little gasp and the funny ache in Yagari's heart deepened. It made him angry. And uncomfortable.

"Quit sniveling, would you?" he said curtly, ignoring the extremely strange urge to – to hold his friend and partner, to comfort him… Yagari concentrated on keeping his movements gentle as he swabbed at the claw marks on Cross' shoulder – he didn't want to cause further pain.

He ignored the almost inaudible sniff from the other man but when he touched a newly soaked cotton pad to the scratches, and a soft groan sounded from Cross, it made Yagari's jaw clench hard. He froze for a moment. He wished he'd been more alert. He'd never failed his partner before… and he hated the feeling of – of failure. Because Cross was now injured and in pain. Pain that he felt responsible for. "Sorry…" he muttered. He knew Cross was looking at him but he ignored it.

"It's hardly your fault it stings…"

_Crap_. Why did Cross have to be so – so noble? Yagari did look at him this time. "Sorry I didn't get her in time… and you got hurt" he confessed. He was startled when Cross shrugged off his apology and he saw the gratitude in those brown eyes, not hidden behind those glasses now and looking too clear, too open. Something about the openness in Cross' eyes had always called to him, and he looked down quickly and finished cleaning the wound. But he couldn't stop himself from another confession "And… you don't snivel."

"Of _course _I don't. Even though -"

Yagari tried to stop talking, he really did, but he couldn't seem to stop blabbering on "Even though it hurts like the blazes. I know." _Crap. Stop it. _Quickly, he turned and rummaged in the first aid box, then started taping up the scratches. He knew Cross was staring at him but he ignored it. As he kept the unused items in the box, he saw the painkillers. And when Cross shook his head at it, Yagari's heart sank. He couldn't bear to see his partner in anymore pain and forced himself to grin at him, saying as casually as he could "Take it, Cross. Otherwise, you're in for a sleepless night. And that means I will, too"

Unexpectedly, Cross' fingers touched his. But he didn't snatch his hand away so Yagari pretended he hadn't noticed they were still touching. _Hell, I'm insane… say something! _

"Does it still hurt?" he asked quietly – it was, in retrospect, a bloody stupid question to ask but it was the only thing Yagari could think of to say at that moment and he just couldn't get himself to stop staring at him. And when Cross said that it did hurt, it made all sorts of weirdly protective feelings arise in the dark haired hunter. God help him - he couldn't stop himself from swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, anymore than he could have stopped his mouth from saying "Well, what are you waiting for? Come here…"

And Yagari definitely couldn't have stopped himself from reaching out to pull the other hunter into a tight embrace. But surprisingly, it didn't feel weird. A little awkward maybe, but it felt good… and right… He closed his eye in relief as he felt Cross relax against him and even rest his head on his shoulder.

Yagari could tell the other man was shaking – it had to be from delayed reaction, but he was thankful for it, because it helped to mask the fact that he was shaking too. And he hoped Cross wasn't really aware of the fact that they were both shirtless.

His right arm was around Cross' back. Careful not to touch the injured shoulder, Yagari placed his left hand against the back of his partner's head, lightly stroking the straight light brown hair that felt like the purest of silk against his fingers.

_-- End Flashback --_

Yagari had awakened but he kept silent and still, enjoying the feel of gentle fingers combing through his long hair. A soft smile touched his lips. He knew Kaien loved touching his hair and he remembered him even likening it to the long and wavy locks of some young woman in a TV shampoo commercial that they had caught on TV some time ago.

Grinning widely, Cross had ignored Yagari's protests but it was his turn for a ribbing a couple of minutes later when the hair commercial for another brand of shampoo came on, this time showing a model sporting long straight hair.

Yagari's eye had twinkled mischeviously as he pointed at the TV screen while his other hand playfully tugged on a lock of light brown hair. Cross responded in kind and in a few minutes' time, whatever was on TV was completely ignored.

It was also left switched on the entire night.

-- Chapter End --


	7. Chapter 7: How It Happened

**Author Notes:** I find writing about this pairing strangely addicting… so this is the next chapter. And I also seem to be writing more from Cross' POV than Yagari's… maybe it's because not much is known about Yagari, or maybe it's because I've gotten more used to writing about papa Cross _- shrugs-_ Ah well, I don't think the rating needs to be changed... Enjoy the chapter!

**Appreciation:** Thank you to **AgateLinks** & **Blackened Wing** once again for looking over the pivotal scene in this chapter and giving me much appreciated comments and encouragement.

**Warning:** Implied yaoi lemon.

-- Chapter Start --

Moonlight shone through the darkened bedroom. Two male figures were lying on the double bed, their legs tangled up with each other's as well as with the covers. The head of the taller man was pillowed on the chest of the other and he was soundly asleep, but his partner was not.

The expression in Cross' brown eyes was pensive as he stroked gentle fingers through his lover's dark and wavy hair. Tonight would have been Touga's ninth wedding anniversary, had his marriage lasted; instead it had become his and Touga's eighth anniversary of being… together.

Had it already been _eight years_? Seemed just like last week when it first happened…

_-- Flashback --_

Kaien Cross closed his eyes and yawned hugely before stretching his arms high above his head. He'd spent the past three hours working on the proposed class syllabus for his dream school, to be called Cross Academy, and it was time for a break.

After a moment, his eyes fell on the tabletop calendar on his desk. Tomorrow was circled in black ink and he'd scribbled a short note as well "T's w. anniversary" – that's right, tomorrow was Touga Yagari's wedding anniversary. Cross had circled that date about a month ago when his friend has mentioned it in passing as they met for drinks one evening. It would be his first anniversary since the divorce and atypical of Cross, he firmly believed that his friend should not be left alone on such a night.

Actually, he and Yagari had been meeting each other for dinner or for drinks about twice a month since their last assignment about five months ago in which the brown haired hunter had gotten injured, and in that time, had grown to know each other's more, becoming quite close friends now despite their differing personalities. Even more surprising, they'd found they really enjoyed each other's company and banter… even though they never mentioned the time Yagari had comforted Cross in the hotel bathroom.

Accordingly, when Cross went into the kitchen a few minutes later, he informed his elderly housekeeper, Momoyama-san, that she could leave earlier tomorrow afternoon, and requested that she take Yuuki back with her for the night since he would be busy 'entertaining guests'. From the look on the elderly woman's face, it wasn't too hard to guess that she assumed Cross would want some uninterrupted time with adult female company and he was quick to correct her assumption. No, it wasn't dinner with a female guest, but his ex-partner and friend, Touga Yagari… Cross smiled in relief as the elderly woman nodded and smiled her agreement. He was happily oblivious of the fact that behind her genially smiling face, the elderly housekeeper was tut-tutting over her employer's sudden change in his… ah… 'romantic inclinations', to put it politely.

The next morning, Cross stopped by the Hunter's Association, nodding to various of his ex-associates as he made his way to his ex-partner's rather cluttered desk.

"Hey Touga, you're coming to my place tonight for dinner - I'm cooking" Cross tried to ignore the general messy state of the desk in front of him, his fingers already itching to sort and shuffle the loose pieces of paper strewn about. Yagari's pen paused, midway through filling out a report with his large, decisive handwriting, and he quirked an eyebrow. "Your latest girlfriend deserted you already, Kaien?" he drawled. Cross shook his head, grinning. "Has yours? Ah no, I'm just giving her a break tonight, Touga"

The single blue eye continued to eye him speculatively. "Don't think I don't know why you're doing this, Kaien" he remarked quietly. "I know very well what day today is…"

Cross looked like he was on the verge of denying it then he sighed.

"And being the kind soul you are, you just don't want me wallowing in my sorrows again…" Yagari's look was unrelenting, challenging his friend to deny it. Cross opened his mouth, then shut it again. "All right" he huffed a moment later. "But I'm cooking your favourite stew tonight" he tried to tempt his friend.

There was a moment of silence as they both looked at each other, almost, but not quite catching a glimpse of something that flitted briefly between them. Then Yagari grinned suddenly. "Cool, see you tonight then"

Cross grinned back, feeling unreasonably happy. "Eight o'clock - bring along your appetite" he replied blithely before turning around. Now he could go to the supermarket to do his shopping.

Behind him, the tall haired hunter shook his head and grinned wryly before returning his attention to his report.

- o -

Cross awoke quite suddenly. He opened his eyes and squinted at the alarm clock on his nightstand. It was half past two in the morning and he lay there for a moment, wondering what had awokened him. Then he heard it again, a soft clink. Yagari, who should be soundly asleep on the living room sofa after the amount of wine he'd consumed with dinner was clearly awake. The brown haired hunter sighed as he crept out of the bed and padded silently out of his bedroom, brushing back his long straight hair with his fingers.

Yagari was sitting in the kitchen, his back towards the door, draining one of his precious bottles of fine whisky. Absently, Cross wondered how his friend had managed to find the bottles he kept stashed at the back shelf of his highest cabinets. He sighed and shook his head as he crossed his arms, casually leaning across the doorjamb. "Wallowing in our sorrows after all, aren't we?"

Yagari didn't seem surprised to hear his partner's voice. He merely shrugged one shoulder but didn't bother turning around, nor did he seem guilty at being caught drinking his friend's liquor. Cross walked over, placing one hand on the other's shoulder. Yagari looked up and Cross' heart skipped a beat. He'd never seen his friend look so lost. "I'm… lonely" slurred the younger man, his admission coming out almost as a whisper.

Cross' eyebrows went up and he sneaked a glance at the bottle of whisky beside the other man's elbow. Less than a quarter of the amber liquid remained. So this was what Touga was really like, under all that brash arrogance and cockiness… unexpectedly unsure. As he'd caught a glimpse of, on rare occasions when the younger man thought no one was looking. And that only made Cross feel strangely drawn to his friend again. But this time, the draw was stronger. More compelling. It could have been the fact that it was now the early hours of the morning after a relaxed dinner in which they had laughed over past assignments and traded light insults with each other. It could have been the quietness of his kitchen, with only the soft ticking of the kitchen clock breaking the silence. It could be due to the vulnerable look on Yagari's face. It could be due to the strange ache Cross was feeling again in his chest. But no matter what it was, he was inexplicably drawn to his friend now.

So he drew the other chair nearer and sat down, then took the empty glass from Yagari's unresisting hand. Cross didn't hesitate before wrapping both arms around his friend's shoulders, feeling the slight tremors that shook the leanly muscled frame now. "You're not lonely, Touga. I'm here for you. Always…" he murmured quietly.

Yagari stiffened in surprise and Cross half expected to be slugged one right across the face at any second. But unexpectedly, the other man's arms came up to curl around his back as another shudder ran through him. _Yagari was actually hugging him back. _Inexplicably touched by this, Cross found himself lightly pressing his lips against the long dark hair as he murmured soothing noises to his friend.

It was weird… but Cross had never felt so _aware _of another person before. It was as if he'd never really hugged another person before. Because he suddenly couldn't recall breathing in anyone's scent the way he was breathing in Touga's now. He couldn't recall being aware of the feel of another person's hair the way he was with Touga's hair now, feeling the soft waves against his face, breathing in the familiar fragrance of the shampoo he used. He couldn't recall feeling another person's body in his arms the way he was extremely aware of Touga's body now, his friend's face buried in the side of his neck, warm uneven puffs of air against his throat, strong but trembling arms wrapped around his back, everything… even the rather uncertain beat of the heart lying against his.

Cross acted on instinct, his hands moving over his friend's back in slow, soothing circles, his lips pressing light kisses on the dark hair, feeling a quiet sense of satisfaction as the other's trembling lessened, then ceased entirely.

After what seemed like an all too brief eternity but in reality was probably only half an hour or so, Yagari's arms fell and he pulled back slightly, looking at Cross. The taller man still looked unbearably lost but there was a question in the blue eye still hazy with alcohol and Cross froze, feeling slightly off balance and even uncertain. He felt hot and cold all over. Because Yagari's look was unguarded and there was finally an open acknowledgement of this _something _between them, that until now, had been ignored by both of them.

Cross swallowed as he lost himself in Yagari's look, deliberately letting his own gaze acknowledge the question he saw there, finally relenting enough to give a name to that _something _that had hovered between them since the night he gave Yagari his birthday gift.

Awareness.

Attraction.

Desire.

Half a minute of utter silence ticked by, then Yagari's gaze dropped to Cross' mouth. Instinctively, both sets of lips parted. Slowly, both heads bent forwards. Eyes fluttered closed. Faces tilted in opposite directions. And lips met for the first time as they kissed.

It was a - weird - moment to say the least. But the weirdest thing was that at that very moment, a kiss had never felt this good with anyone else, for either of them. Their lips met… and fit. Perfectly. It was unexpected. Unbelievable. But undeniable all the same.

And when they parted after that tentative and strangely sweet kiss, raw desire flickered in the suddenly hungry and aware looks they traded with each other. Then another kiss followed, and another, again and again… until it no longer felt strange to taste and learn about each other's mouths like this.

Yagari tasted of whisky and a faint tang of cigarette smoke. He tasted rich... smooth... and dangerous.

Cross tasted of toothpaste and something indefinably citrusy. He tasted tangy... sweet... and appealing.

Lips still locked together, Yagari stood up, his chair scraping back. So did Cross. The almost empty bottle of whisky was now forgotten. The ladies they'd both started dating about a month ago were forgotten as well as the latest kiss ended and the two men looked at each other once more. Yes, complete awareness… but uncertainty as well. Wariness. Because they could now read the plain longing in each other's faces. A longing to touch and comfort each other. A need to feel the other close and learn even more things about the other person they thought they already knew well enough.

Their warm and uneven breaths mingled between them now, tasting of passion and whisky. Their bodies tingled with desire, flesh swelling hard and taut.

Cross longed to touch his friend again. But something, instinct perhaps, made him hold back and wait. Then Yagari swallowed, shoulders sagging slightly as if in defeat, then he reached out and started undoing the buttons of Cross' pyjama shirt. The ex-hunter uttered a silent sigh of relief then he was reaching for the buttons on his friend's shirt in turn.

A part of Cross' mind was jabbering nonsense at him, but he chose to tune it out. Because Yagari wasn't looking at him like he was out of his mind, but as if he was the most attractive sight in the world right at this moment. And it was Cross' turn to swallow hard as his pyjama shirt fell off his shoulders hanging from his elbows, and Yagari's warm hands spread over his chest, feeling… exploring… Then lean fingers worked their way up to tentatively trace the long thin scars that ran down his right shoulder.

Cross inhaled shakily as Yagari bent closer and the dark head dipped. Warm lips traced the lines their owner had tended to a few months earlier, the loving kisses and moist tongue tender and soft. Stupid tears welled up unforgivably in Cross' eyes but he ignored them, choosing instead to enjoy the light, careful touches as he tangled his fingers in the long wavy dark hair. Then Yagari paused and Cross pulled his head up, giving him a light kiss before slipping off the blue eye patch. Finally, _finally _he could indulge in something he'd been longing to do since Yagari's birthday.

The taller hunter closed his remaining eye, inhaling just as shakily, his body trembling again as Cross' unbelievably soft lips caressed the healed lines over his missing eye. No one else had done that, no one else had even _thought _of doing that… and this knowledge, with alcohol and loneliness melting away his defences, made shameful tears well up.

Neither of them even knew how they made it to the master bedroom. Neither of them remembered removing each other's remaining clothes. But they fell onto the bed together and soft pants and moans filled the air as warm lips kissed and comforted, and urgent hands stroked and caressed each other. Until it was time to take the next crucial step and they paused. Because they could no longer ignore what they knew was coming next.

Silently, with their ragged breathing mingling between them, they looked at each other uncertainly in the darkened bedroom. "Kaien - do you want to continue this?" asked Yagari finally, looking up at his friend, his tone low and uneven, sounding hopeful yet fearful.

Cross' mouth went dry at the question despite the fact that he was already lying on top of his friend, the lower half of his body pressed intimately against the other's. Yes, he knew what Yagari meant and he found his whole body flushing hot with embarrassment. Because even if none of this made any sense whatsoever… "Yes, Touga" He bent forward and captured his friend's lips in a fervent kiss. _Yes, I want this… God help me, I want to love you, Touga…_

Then the younger man broke the kiss and relaxed back against the pillows, still holding his gaze. "I… OK" he said, and the cautious tone of his voice, as well as the way they were positioned now indicated that he sort of expected Cross to take him.

_Oh, crap. _

Cross had… no idea… how to do that, actually. And apparently, neither did Yagari. For some reason, this made Cross want to laugh. Badly. This whole thing was just going to be so flipping damn awkward.

_-- End of Flashback--_

Cross chuckled softly to himself, remembering. Yes, it had been awkward as hell. He had felt awkward as hell too. He remembered thinking that probably the only saving grace at that moment was Yagari being far too drunk to remember any of it when he woke up the next morning.

Only he had, of course.

Yagari stirred in Cross' arms. "Had a funny dream?" his voice sounded a little puzzled, a little amused.

"Not really"

Yagari slid off him, lying on his side and propping his head on the palm of one hand. "Then what is it?" he asked, his other hand resting lightly on Cross' bare chest.

"Oh, just thinking back…"

"To?" Yagari's quirked eyebrow told Cross he was going to be questioned until he gave in, and he sighed. "About our first time together, OK?"

There was a moment of stunned silence then Yagari laughed. "Oh, _that_…" He shook his head, still grinning. "You looked adorable, stuttering like that when you tried to explain the whole thing to me the next morning...!"

Cross snorted, trying to look affronted but failing completely. "Well, _you _looked aghast when you woke up to find yourself in my arms and both of us stark naked…!" He chuckled again at the memory.

Yagari scowled. He snatched at the nearest pillow he could find and whacked his friend lightly over the head with it. "Yeah, well, I was drunk, Kaien, what was _your _excuse?"

Cross snatched the pillow out of Yagari's hand, tossing it aside before pushing the long brown hair off his face. His smile disappeared suddenly. "I don't have any, Touga" he said, suddenly serious. "It just felt… right."

Yagari turned solemn as well, then his lips quirked in a slight smile. "Yeah" he murmured, a tender light now in his blue eye as he moved closer. "Still does, too" he added softly against the other man's lips.

"Yeah" murmured Cross, his arms coming up to pull Yagari down to him even as his lips parted under the weight of his kiss. It always felt right… and Cross knew that regardless of how or why it had started, it was a good thing he hadn't left his friend alone that night.

-- Chapter End --


	8. Chapter 8: The Morning After

**Author Notes:** OK, so this is what happened the morning after... hope it's good. Mostly from Yagari's POV this time.

Oh, and if you've enjoyed this chapter, please don't forget to send me a review, OK? :) Thanks!

-- Chapter Start --

It was the morning after Kaien Cross' and Touga Yagari's eighth anniversary of being a couple, and the Cross Academy Headmaster whistled cheerfully as he made coffee in Touga's small kitchen. He could hear the dark haired hunter moving around in his bedroom after his shower, and he smiled as he took the two coffee mugs out, placing them on the dining table before sitting down.

"Good morning" The greeting was voiced in a familiar low voice and Cross felt two equally familiar hands rest on his shoulders as warm lips brushed his forehead in a kiss. Automatically, Cross turned his head, seeking that same pair of lips. "'Morning" he murmured.

A couple of delightful minutes passed before they parted and Yagari sank into the other chair, reaching for his cup. "Cheers" he said, holding it up. Cross smiled. He clinked his own mug gently against Yagari's and echoed "Cheers"

The dark haired hunter looked completely relaxed as he savoured his coffee while lounging in his chair, at ease even without his eye patch. This 'morning after' was so different from the one that had happened eight years so that Cross couldn't help smiling.

And of course, that made Yagari raise an eyebrow at him enquiringly. "You're still thinking back to that time, aren't you?" he asked, not without a little amusement. A little flustered at the hunter's sharp observation, Cross waved his hand airily as he tried to deny it but Yagari fixed him with a look. "Don't deny it, Kaien, you've got that silly sentimental look on your face again"

Cross gave up then and chuckled. "All right, I was…" he admitted.

"Which part, exactly?" murmured Yagari suddenly as he leaned forward, his eye glinting with sudden mischief. "When I took you for the first time?"

Cross bit his lip even as his face warmed and his body reacted at the blunt words. _Again…? Well, maybe later…_

"Ah… nope" he managed. "More like our conversation in my kitchen before that, Touga"

The smile on Yagari's face disappeared. "Yeah" he said after a moment. But when they looked at each other again, he grinned and Cross grinned back, shaking his head. Looking back, it really was kind of funny but at that time, neither of them thought so.

_-- Flashback --_

Yagari stirred, groaning softly. His head was pounding with what he recognised as a classic hangover, his dry mouth and throat confirming the unpalatable fact. Moving his head, however minutely, only caused the anvils in his temples to increase the speed of their relentless pounding, so he lay on his stomach as still as he could, for a couple more minutes.

Then he turned his head slowly to his left, ignoring the increased pounding in his temples, to check what time it was. Blearily, he opened his left eye a crack. The bright sunlight made him wince but he ignored it. _Hell_, had he gotten a new alarm clock? And a new night stand as well? Because this sure wasn't the one normally found at the side of his bed. So the only explanation must be that this wasn't his room. And if that was the case, where the hell was he?

Belatedly, Yagari realised something else. His cheek was actually pillowed on someone's bare shoulder and that same someone's warm arms were around his back, hugging him close. If it were not for the fact that his head felt like it was going to split open, and that he seriously needed to use the bathroom, Yagari might have felt warm and comfortable… even cared for.

But since he couldn't recall _who _it was that he had followed home last night, this only caused a small but increasing feeling of dread to rise in his gut. Something else caught his attention now. Light brown. He squinted. Long strands of light brown hair were lying on the bare shoulder and pillow. The hair sort of reminded him of his friend Kaien Cross, actually – ha, that was _funny_! He wondered who this lady was - her name escaped him now but she must have taken him back to her place last night. Had he honestly drunk _that _much? Crap, he hoped he remembered to use protection…

Something else caught his attention. A couple of long thin white scars marred the otherwise smooth skin of that bare shoulder and he squinted. Wow, where had she gotten such beauties? Was she a vampire hunter too? And why did those scars seem strangely familiar to him, like he'd seen them before? Ah, yes… Kaien had them too, didn't he? When the Level E vampire attacked him a few months ago?

Suddenly, Yagari froze. An image of him tenderly kissing those very same scars flashed across his mind and he almost gagged. The feeling of unexplainable dread in him ballooned up to uncomfortable proportions. It increased even more as Yagari felt the warm body underneath him stir. Slowly, the dark haired hunter shifted his arms, placing both palms flat on the sheets, then he raised his head - ignoring the fact that it felt like falling off - to look at his bed partner.

Nope. Definitely _not _a lady this time. Because his bed partner was none other than his male friend, Kaien Cross. Who was also awake and watching him silently.

_Oh. My. God. _

Both men's mouths dropped open as their eyes widened in shock and their faces flushed instantly with deep colour.

_Crap. _

Yagari looked completely aghast at the inescapable fact that he was lying in the arms of a bare chested Kaien Cross. Wait a minute, make that a fully naked Kaien Cross. Ignoring the strange fact that he found the sight of his friend lying bare chested against the pillows with long hair slightly mussed actually strangely appealing, Yagari flew into full panic mode, scrambling to get off the bed to put as much space between him and his nude friend.

Pushing himself upright, Yagari swung around then froze. Something stopped him. A strange and sharp ache in his… well, his… uhm, intimate area.

_Uh oh... Crap. _

And it looked like Cross wasn't the only one naked. Involuntarily, his eye wide, Yagari swung back to the other man. "We didn't…" he breathed. Cross did not answer but his flush deepened guiltily.

Yagari ran his hand down his face. "Damnit, Kaien, tell me we didn't!" he half demanded, half begged.

Cross swallowed. His memory was excellent since he had only drunk a couple of glasses of the red wine they had last night and he knew very well what had happened. Telling it to his disbelieving friend was a completely different matter though.

"Well...! Ah, we did.. uhm, that is, you drank... quite a lot of the wine, actually, then we, uh, I mean, you, I found you in the kitchen… ah, drinking again – that is, my whisky" he stuttered, his fingers clutching at the covers and pulling them up frantically to his chest. As if it wasn't already much too late for modesty...

The single blue eye narrowed. "And then?" Yagari's voice was deceptively soft. Dangerous. But desperate too.

Cross' wide brown eyes darted around his room, not knowing where to look. Then he closed them. He looked like he wasn't going to stop flushing anytime soon. "Then we, uhm, we hugged and then… we… uh, kissed…" he said, his voice getting progressively softer and softer until the last word ended in a whisper. He chanced a peek at his friend.

Yagari groaned as he ran his palm down his face again, frowning ferociously as he tried to get his aching and sluggish brain to think past his pounding headache. OK, stay calm, stay calm… "Damnit, what _else _happened, Kaien? Why do I feel pain… there?!"

Cross sighed, still looking embarrassed and even a little bit guilty but definitely calmer than the agitated hunter. "You know why, Touga" he said quietly.

"Tell me!" Yagari pleaded, looking like he actually didn't really want to know.

A pause.

"We made love" Cross said simply, his voice surprisingly steady.

Yagari groaned again, then clapped a hand over his mouth. Scrambling off the bed, he rushed into the attached bathroom, ignoring the ache, and slammed the door shut. Muffled sounds of throwing up followed a few seconds later.

Cross shook his head and bit his lip. After a moment, he got out of bed, looking a lot more mortified now that his friend wasn't around to witness it. He'd been feeling pretty good, actually, when he'd first woken up. Especially when he realised he wasn't alone and was holding someone in his arms. But after he realised who that person was…

At least Touga could plead drunkenness for his part in what happened last night. What could _he _plead? That he'd been trying to fight this - attraction - for months? That he'd been strangely and increasingly aware of his friend in a 'not just friends' sort of way? That he realised he was most relaxed and happy only when enjoying his friend's company?

Shaking his head again, Cross crossed over to the chair and reached for his dressing gown. He glanced into the small mirror on his dresser as he passed it and stopped. A couple of red marks stood out at the side of his neck and his eyebrows rose as he fingered the tender area lightly. So… Yagari was fond of causing hickeys? Cross found himself grinning as he shrugged on his gown, tying it tightly around his waist before going off to his kitchen.

Well, if nothing else, they could both do with a strong cup of coffee now. Especially Yagari.

- o -

The dark haired hunter stared into his black coffee, face still burning. He was sitting hunched in the same kitchen chair that he'd been sitting in last night as he guzzled Cross' whisky. But the almost empty bottle and his used glass were nowhere to be found now. How he wished that it was last night again, then he could've made last night not… er… happen. But he couldn't. And it _had _happened.

Finally, Yagari chanced a glance at the man sitting opposite him. Cross, his hair hanging loosely down his back and still in his dressing gown, was morosely staring at the kitchen table, his face flushed as well.

Yagari sighed soundlessly This was stupid. They were ex-partners and friends. Good friends. Good _male _friends. Good male friends do _not _get drunk and… and… Yagari cursed aloud. The sudden and biting expletive made Cross start and his eyes darted up to the other man.

Yagari met his gaze squarely and exhaled loudly. "What really happened last night, Kaien?" he asked directly.

Cross was relieved his friend was talking to him again but his smile was humourless. "Do you really not remember, or are you just pretending, Touga?" he asked in return, and the taller hunter had to force himself not to flinch at the deliberate sarcasm. He had tried hard not to think or remember what had happened but it was a futile attempt.

Don't think, he had told himself sternly after he'd emptied the contents of his roiling stomach into the toilet bowl and stepped into the shower, turning the tap on full blast. But he couldn't help doing so because he was using Cross' shampoo and soap and the fragrance reminded him of their owner and what had happened.

Don't think, Yagari had admonished himself again as he turned off the water and snatched the lone towel off the rack on the wall. But again, he couldn't stop doing so because the terrycloth material also smelled of Cross. Yagari had dried himself off roughly and angrily, ignoring the disturbing ache that persisted, then whipped the towel around his hips.

He had to find his clothes and get the hell out of here.

Don't think, he told himself once again as he yanked open the bathroom door and stepped into the room. But he still did because there were his shirt and jeans lying neatly folded on top of the hurriedly straightened covers on the bed. Cross was there too, standing beside the bed and clad in his dressing gown, his hands in his pockets. "Coffee's ready" he said quietly before going out of the bedroom.

Yagari sighed again, picking up his mug but still staring unseeingly at its contents. During his shower, most of what happened last night had come back to him, and he knew it was as much his fault as it was Kaien's, if not more. He was the one who'd started undressing his friend first. He was the one who'd started touching his friend first. And he had yielded to Cross after that, and willingly too.

But this whole thing was just insane, especially when…

"I'm _not gay_, Kaien!" Yagari burst out suddenly, slamming his coffee mug down and causing the hot liquid to splash out. "I was married, damnit. I dated women! I love women!" he added, belatedly realising he was almost shouting now but not caring in any case.

In contrast, Cross was strikingly calm. "I know, Touga, you don't have to shout. I'm not gay, either… and you know that" he said, almost mildly.

Yagari fell silent. _Yes, Kaien was straight too. _

OK, so both of them were straight. Fine. Then how the _hell _had last night happened?

"I don't know, Touga" Cross said quietly, accurately reading the expression on his friend's face. "But it did, and we just have to deal with it"

Yagari glared at him. "Easy for you to say" he grunted. Then a thought struck him. "Did you use a condom last night?" he added apprehensively.

Cross was just starting to feel his face cool down when Yagari's sudden and blunt question made him flush again. "Yes, yes I did" he said, not without relief. Yagari appeared mollified and relived by this as well, giving a brief nod even though he was flushing just as much.

A longer silence passed as they both sipped at their coffee, studiously avoiding each other's gaze now.

Then Cross sighed wearily, looking at his friend. "Look, I'm sorry, Touga. Just – just pretend it never happened, OK?" he asked quietly. _Because I don't want to lose you…_

Yagari snorted even though he had more or less come to the same conclusion as Cross. Because he too, felt their friendship was special. "Easy for you to say, Kaien" he grunted. "I still ache..."

Cross blinked and swallowed. "Er, sorry, that _was _my first time doing it that way…" He winced as Yagari gave a disdainful sniff that said all too clearly that _that _was pretty obvious. It took Cross all of ten seconds came to a decision. As casually as he could, he shrugged. "So? Take me then - if you want to feel even"

Yagari's mouth fell open as he stared at his friend. "What?" he asked, shocked. Cross looked at him steadily. "I took you last night, Touga" he said, his gaze steely, his voice even. "Go ahead and have your turn - if it would make you feel better"

The black haired hunter stared at him in shock. Cross stared back, a silent challenge gleaming in his suddenly resolute brown eyes. Then Yagari found himself grinning as he shook his head. _What the hell… _"All right, I will" he said softly.

Cross nodded but he couldn't stop himself from swallowing hard. Well, _this _was going to be a fun morning... lucky thing Momoyama-san and little Yuuki weren't around.

_-- End Flashback --_

"Go on, Kaien, admit it"

Cross blinked, brought back to the present. "Admit what, Touga?" he asked, sipping at his cooling coffee.

A seductive smile appeared on the well shaped lips now. "That I was better than you were, even then"

Cross almost choked on his coffee. "No, you were not!" he said indignantly. "I couldn't even _walk _properly after that. And how do you know what happened that first time, anyway, you were stone drunk!"

Yagari laughed as he stood up and reached for Cross. "Well, I'm not drunk now" he said suggestively.

Cross laughed as well even as he stood up. "Nope, you're just greedy...!"

-- Chapter End --


	9. Chapter 9: What Happened After That

**Author Notes:** A continuation of what happened the morning after... in the present time, as well as the past. Enjoy... and don't forget to let me know what you think, OK? :D

-- Chapter Start --

Yagari collapsed breathlessly onto the bed, before turning onto his side and wrapping his arms around Cross. Still panting, he nuzzled his face into the damp skin of Cross' neck, sucking hard on the softly flushed skin. The latter's body jerked reflexively, still shivering, and Yagari gave a rather possessive smile as he watched another red mark start to blossom against the damp skin.

"So Kaien, still think you were better than me then?" he murmured wickedly in between creating more love bites all along the back of Cross' neck. The ex-hunter snorted softly. "Touga, the unpalatable truth is that we both sucked at that time, OK?" he said wryly, turning around to smile at his friend and lover.

Yagari frowned. "But you didn't hurt as much as I did" he pointed out. Cross was far from chagrined though. "Ah, that was only because I didn't want to hurt your feelings then!" he replied, grinning more than a little maliciously now at the sudden flush that appeared on Yagari's lean face. But the hunter only raised his eyebrows in an attempt at innocence. "Really?"

Cross nodded sagely, still grinning as he recalled what had happened after Yagari accepted his impulsively made offer and challenge back then.

-- Flashback --

In a rather strained silence, Cross led them both back to his bedroom, Yagari following a step behind. The ex-hunter paused rather uncertainly beside the hurriedly made bed, his eyes drawn to it. He knew his friend was staring at the bed too. To put it bluntly, both of them were just studiously avoiding each other again.

After a few moments, Cross broke the uncomfortable silence. "Ah... I guess I'll take a shower first, since I didn't get to earlier" he ventured tentatively. Yagari only grunted in reply. Cross waited a moment, then sidled to the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind him. The dark haired hunter felt his shoulders sagging as he sighed deeply and bit his lip, his eye darting to the closed bathroom door, the remnants of his headache still nagging at him.

_Great. This was just... great. Kaien definitely had an easier time of it last night in his maiden attempt since I was stone drunk then. But we're both sober now, so... great. Just great. _

Not knowing quite what to do now (and later when it came down to actual crunch time), Yagari sank down onto the edge of the bed facing the bathroom, legs apart, elbows resting on his knees. He could hear the shower water running and suddenly had a most absurd thought. He hoped Cross wouldn't mind that he used his towel earlier - he's just so... so fastidious, for goodness' sake! Then another thought slipped into his mind - should he... should he undress first? _Right, and put on what? Don't be stupid! _he chastised himself. This wasn't a _seduction_, for goodness' sake, and he wasn't some coy maiden about to be deflowered by a rake. Besides, he didn't have anything else to wear except for what he had on now... _Stop it! _Yagari ordered himself. If there was any 'deflowering' to be done here, _he _would be the one to do it - at least now - and as Kaien has said, it was only fair. After all - he moved a little and grunted again - he still ached... there. And let's face it, he was feeling a little bit curious and strangely enough, more aroused than grossed out actually. Crap... he really _was _losing it.

Yagari jerked, startled from his musings, as the bathroom door opened suddenly and Cross stepped out, his long brown hair wet from the shower, and the by now quite damp towel wrapped around his waist. Again, another awkward silence descended as Yagari made as if to get up, and paused before sitting down again. _Say something_... "Uh, you done?" he asked, inwardly cringing at what a stupid question it was. To his credit, Cross didn't laugh or come back with a sarcastic rejoinder - he just gave a cautious nod. "Yeah..."

This was horrendously awkward... no, this was _beyond _awkward. In broad daylight no less, with both of them sober and completely aware of what was going to happen this time. Cross could feel water from his hair dripping down his back but he didn't dare take the towel off his waist to dry it. He knew that they were both guys, and even if last night's encounter had happened in the dark, they were about to see each other again any which way. But knowing that still didn't make the situation any easier for him. Briefly, he wondered if his friend actually realised that he was feeling as nervous as the first time he had surrendered his own virginity way back when.

Cross sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head. This was ridiculous. He wasn't a virgin and neither was his friend. They had made a bargain just now - he had offered himself, and Touga had agreed. Fair's fair, tit for tat and all that... so just get it over with. Cross also tried to ignore the fact that a large part of what he was feeling now was actually more anticipation rather than apprehension, although the latter was definitely present too.

Yagari saw Cross shaking his head and jumped to an immediate albeit mistaken conclusion, feeling some almost giddy with relief, even if it was mixed with disappointment. "You changed your mind, Kaien? Ah, I think I have too" he said as he got up hurriedly from the bed and swung around towards the door, steadfastly ignoring that persistent ache he could still feel in his... in his... well, _there_.

"What? Touga, wait!" Cross sounded startled, almost alarmed, as he strode quickly towards his friend and grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?" He sounded genuinely surprised and Yagari turned around to face him, the expression on his face almost frightened. "Kaien... I - I can't!" he blurted out. Cross frowned. "Why not?" he asked, almost gently.

Yagari's eye shut in frustration. "Because!" he gritted out.

Cross eyed him suspiciously, a glimmer of hurt mirroring in the open brown eyes. "Because it's me, or because I'm a guy?" he asked, his voice steady, demanding a truthful answer from his friend.

Yagari shook his head hopelessly. "Both!" he grated. Belatedly, he saw how Cross looked and realised his friend has misinterpreted his words. "No! I didn't mean that!" he protested. Crap... Cross' eyes were beginning to look suspiciously moist now and the almost frantic hunter babbled on, trying to rectify what he'd said. "Oh God, Kaien, don't you see? It's because I just don't want you to think I'm weird, or - or queer..." _Because in spite of what you think, I really like you..._

Cross' eyes cleared as he sighed in relief. "Touga... it's OK..." he murmured comfortingly as he took a step closer, trying to put what he felt into words. Then he stopped - the tucked in edge of his towel had slipped out, loosened by his stride earlier, and blithely eluding his frantic grab, the wet terrycloth material unwound itself to land on the floor at his feet.

Cross' slightly panicked gaze swung up to meet Yagari's but the dark haired hunter wasn't looking at his face now. He was seemingly transfixed by the sight of a stark naked Cross with wet hair, bare skin glowing from the shower and being semi aroused to boot. Despite flushing at his friend's suddenly heated gaze, Cross was strangely reluctant to move but he forced himself to bend down to retrieve the dropped towel. Straightening up again, he froze. Because Yagari was again looking at him in the same way he had last night, in his kitchen. With desire and yearning showing on his face, wiping away all traces of the previous hesitation. Cross realised that he didn't need to reassure his friend now - his body had inadvertently done that for him.

A different sort of silence grew between them now, no longer awkward but filled with awareness, desire and slowly building heat. After a moment, Cross swallowed. "You were saying...?" he murmured. Because there was no mistaking the sheer lust on his friend's face now.

That made Yagari look at him. "Forget it" he muttered thickly. Then he was reaching out with both arms and Cross found himself being crushed to that muscular frame as he was kissed hungrily. He reciprocated in kind and the kiss swiftly escalated into equally hungry and urgent caresses, Cross almost tearing the buttons off Yagari's shirt, half out of his mind with desire at his friend's strong but trembling hands on his shower cooled skin.

To heck with it all, so what if it was still insane...

- o -

Yagari was silent as he listened to the pounding of Cross' heart beneath his ear and felt his own ragged breathing started to slow down. His head was pillowed on Cross' chest, their sweat slicked bodies pressed closed together, and he relaxed, feeling gentle fingers caress his back in soothing circular motions.

"Kaien, are - are you all right?" he asked quietly after a while. The fingers paused for a moment, then resumed. "Uhm hmm..." Cross sounded sleepy but sated, and Yagari raised his head. "Really?" he asked, somewhat curiously. The slightly vulnerable look on his face was adorable and Cross smiled lazily. "Really" he replied dryly. "I'd have thought that was pretty obvious just now..."

A slow smile tilted Yagari's lips. Yup, certain reactions just couldn't be faked... "It - it doesn't, you know, hurt?" he asked tentatively. Cross shifted slightly under him and grimaced. "Actually, now that you mention it, it does... a lot" he admitted. He sounded strangely unconcerned, though, and that only made Yagari frown even more. "You don't look like you mind too much" he countered, a dawning suspicion uncurling in his mind. Cross read that look accurately and chuckled. "No, this _was _my first time... like this" he reassured his friend.

Yagari braced his weight onto his hands, trying to slide off his friend but bare legs curled around his hips, stopping him, and Cross arched his neck to press a light kiss onto his lips. "But it's OK. Because it's you" he said simply. Cross knew it was kind of - risky - exposing his feelings to his friend so fast, but he wasn't the type to keep things to himself, unless he really had to. And besides, it was probably too late for hiding feelings now... after all, he could have said no to Touga last night, but he hadn't. And he needn't have offered himself just now in the kitchen, but he had.

Touga was looking uncertain again. "Sorry" he muttered after a moment, feeling an apology was due. After all, he didn't really know what he was doing, even though it'd felt pretty good to him. And he knew he had definitely hurt his friend... initially at least, if that pained gasp was anything to go by, even though it had ended most satisfactorily for both of them.

That unexpected apology made Cross smile - Touga really was something else under that brash and cock sure attitude of his, and it made all sorts of strangely protective feelings arise in the ex-hunter again. "Don't be" he said, then gave a small shrug. "I don't think I did it perfectly last night, either"

Yagari digested that, then nodded slowly. He slid off his friend now and sat up, but he couldn't seem to stop staring at Cross. "So... what now?" he asked finally. _Talk about a screwed up situation..._

Cross sat up as well, absently combing his fingers through his still damp hair. He sighed then pursed his lips, oblivious of the fact that it had caught Yagari's rapt attention. "I don't know" he admitted quietly. "We're still friends, aren't we?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at his friend.

"'Friends'?!" choked out Yagari, both eyebrows well up. "How can we still be _friends_, Kaien? I mean -" he gestured somewhat wildly at their bare chests. "... we just - I just - _hell!_" he broke off abruptly, shaking his head. But Cross only shrugged again. "Why not?" he asked quietly. "I still like you a lot, Touga, and..." he hesitated then plowed on, hoping this wouldn't blow up in his face "... and I may even already love you, a little..." his voice wasn't quite as steady as his look.

Yagari stared at him in amazement, then he swallowed hard. "You - you really mean that?" he asked, and that touchingly uncertain look made Cross reach for him. "Yes, I do" he accentuated his words with a light kiss, then drew back slightly to gauge his friend's reaction. But Yagari leaned forward, seeking to kiss him again as he pressed the ex-hunter back against the pillows. Cross placed his fingers against his friend's lips to stop him. "Wait, Touga, what about you?"

But the uncertain look had disappeared and Yagari smiling at him seductively now. "Friends..." he murmured then bent down to capture his friend's lips in a slow and thorough kiss. "... and lovers..." he added, before kissing him again.

So it was settled then, and nothing more needed to be said.

Then or now.

-- End Flashback --

Both men were quiet for a while as they leaned back against the headboard of the bed, lost in their memories. "'Friends and lovers'" murmured Cross, his head resting against Yagari's bare shoulder, with the latter's arm around his waist. "You know, I never thought of that phrase as sounding realistic... it always somehow seemed too good to be true, you know?" He linked his fingers with Yagari's, letting both their hands rest on his stomach.

"Yeah, me too" Yagari ran his other hand down the side of Cross' smooth hip, watching in satisfaction as that simple caress made desire stir in the other's body again. "Ah well, there's another saying, you know..." He waited until Cross had tilted his head up to look at him expectantly. "Practice makes perfect" said the dark haired hunter with a perfectly straight face.

Cross snorted at that. "Yeah, you wish... I'm exhausted" he told Yagari off in no uncertain terms. His body betrayed him, however, and the dark haired hunter only chuckled deeply before wrestling him down onto the pillows once more.

-- End Chapter --


	10. Chapter 10: Our Family

**Author Notes:** OK, this is the final chapter for Brief Reflections! A one shot that morphed into ten chapters... and it looks like the newest multi chapter story ends up with Completed status first! Eep...

I actually had a lot of fun writing about Kaien Cross and Touga Yagari. An unconventional and unlikely but somehow entertaining and even - dare I say it? - adorable couple! And yay, I've managed to keep this story's 'T' rating too! :D Actually, there's a lot more potential for this pairing that I've not even touched on yet, such as their work, how they grew to accept each other's different careers, their outlook on vampires, etc. But as I already have ideas for other pairings that I would like to get started on, this story ends here.

Thank you so much for reading and for letting me know your thoughts. I hope you've enjoyed each chapter as much as I have.

**Appreciation: **I wasn't too sure what to put in for this last chapter. But **Altariel-Jaina**'s wonderful review for Chapter One paved the way. So, Altariel - thank you very much, even though I initially balked at the idea. This chapter's for you.

-- Chapter Start --

A light knock sounded on the door and the man lying in the bed stirred sleepily, his long light brown hair spread over his pillow. Then his eyes blinked open – he could hear muffled giggles from the other side of his room door and recognized it as Yuuki's. Zero's low voice could be heard too – the two of them seemed to be having one of their famous bickering sessions.

"It's OK. Come in, you two" he called out, sitting up and adjusting the pillows behind him before smoothing back his long hair.

The door opened and a beaming Yuuki came in, casually dressed in T-shirt and shorts. "Good morning, Father!" she called out. Zero followed from behind, carrying a small table with short legs, on which resided a laden tray. The tall silver haired boy had a mock scowl on his handsome face but it turned into a small half smile when he caught sight of Chairman Cross' astonished expression as he carefully laid the table on the bed, across the older man's knees. "'Morning, Father" he said quietly.

"Good morning! Well, and what's this?" queried the older man, his surprised but delighted eyes taking in the admittedly appetizing sight of buttered toast, two poached eggs and pot of tea. An empty cup and saucer sat next to a small plate, on which was a snowy napkin wrapped around a set of cutlery. A cheerful daisy nodded in a little vase on the other side of the tray, which he knew had to be Yuuki's contribution. "Father's Day?"

Yuuki giggled as she leaned forward to brush a soft kiss on his forehead. "Happy Birthday!" she sang out and proceeded to warble out the whole song, Zero pretending to ignore her entire performance even though he was biting his lower lip the whole time.

"Ah, thank you, my dear Yuuki!" beamed the Chairman when she had finished. His clear brown eyes had turned suspiciously moist, making Zero look as if he wanted nothing more than to beat a hasty retreat from there. As if reading his mind, Yuuki reached out and snagged his arm. "Hang on, Zero" Turning back to her father, she happily informed him "We've ordered a cake to celebrate your birthday tonight, Father" she informed him. "And Zero's cooking dinner too!"

The silver haired boy rolled his eyes, making Chairman Cross grin. Yuuki really was something else... and he couldn't recall seeing the both of them as happy as in these past two weeks. Then he remembered something and sobered up. "Ah, that's nice, Yuuki… and Zero, but someone's actually promised to take me out for dinner tonight"

Two sets of eyebrows shot up. "Who?" asked Yuuki, eyes wide and sparkling with curiosity. Ah, was her Father dating someone after all? She knew it! It couldn't always have been Hunter related business that drew him out to town on a regular basis…

His fingers crossed and hidden under the covers, Cross said casually "Touga Yagari - Zero's former sensei"

Yuuki's mouth parted in a small "O" of surprise mixed with disappointment while Zero stiffened a little. "He's a close friend of mine, you know" added Cross gently. He wanted to accept his children's offer - goodness knows they'd been even more inseparable since the six week long holiday break started – that was when Kaname has disclosed Yuuki's past to the both of them. But at the same time, he'd always spent his birthdays - and Touga's - in each other's companies…

Both his children were now exchanging looks with each other. Finally, Zero's shoulders sagged as he nodded cautiously. Yuuki smiled and turned back to the older man. "Please ask Yagari-san to join us for dinner" she requested formally. "We have more than enough food for four persons"

Cross brightened up. "Really?" he asked delightedly. The four of them sitting down to dinner at the same table? Choosing to ignore any possible repercussions that may arise from this, Cross beamed at his two children and unfolded the napkin, tucking it in the front of his pyjama shirt. "Well, I'd better get started on this then, so that I can call him later…" He was not wearing his scarf now but that was OK, Yagari's latest bite marks had faded from their last heated… ehm, encounter. Yuuki carefully poured him a cup of tea then she and Zero excused themselves to have their own breakfast.

- o -

"Are you sure?" Yagari's voice over the phone sounded like he didn't think this was a good idea at all.

"Please, Touga" cajoled Cross, as he sat at his desk in his study. "They've gone through the trouble of buying a cake and all…"

Yagari sighed. "Go have dinner with your family, Kaien. I can always see you tomorrow" His off handed tone couldn't quite mask his disappointment however, and Cross sighed. "I'm sure Zero wants to see you too, Touga" he said quietly, instinctively knowing exactly what was in his friend's mind.

Silence.

Cross pressed on. "Besides, it _is_ my birthday…" he drifted off suggestively. He and Yagari had a long standing 'tradition' of sorts on their respective birthdays and it actually involved a gift of intense sensual pleasure, delivered using nothing but their mouths.

A deep chuckle sounded over the line. "Ah, you're talking about me making you scream like always, Kaien?" Yagari's voice sounded positively wicked now.

"Of course not!" Cross huffed immediately and the dark haired hunter chuckled even more – Kaien's face would be flushed rosy and he would be pouting in that ridiculously adorable way that always made him want to kiss it away…

"Besides, you scream too when it's _your_ turn" retorted Cross now, in a meaningful tone. To his chagrin, Yagari found himself growing hard almost immediately. "Yeah, you wish" he growled into the phone. Cross chuckled with delight before sobering up.

"Please come over tonight, Touga" he murmured softly. A long suffering sigh sounded now, that somehow reminded Cross of Zero actually, before Yagari finally agreed. "I hope I don't regret this" he grumbled.

- o -

That evening, Yuuki, looking charming in her yellow sleeveless sundress, opened the front door and beamed at the tall, black haired vampire hunter standing there, clad as always in a cotton shirt and jeans. "Yagari-san" she greeted him respectfully before raising her eyebrows at the bottle of red wine he proffered to her. He nodded and stepped in, his eye darting all over the living room before he gave her a small smile. "Yuuki Cross"

"Just 'Yuuki', please" she invited. "Father will be…"

Chairman Cross appeared in the corridor leading to his study. "Touga" he greeted casually. Yuuki turned towards the dining room with the wine. "I'll go check to see how dinner's coming along" she threw over her shoulder, completely missing the sudden intense and heated gazes the two men exchanged behind her back.

- o -

Dinner was OK, if a little quiet. Yuuki had wanted an 'Italian Night' and Zero had obliged with spaghetti Bolognese and lasagna, supplemented with Yuuki's signature prawn salad and the bottle of wine. As usual, it was left to Chairman Cross and Yuuki to carry on most of the conversation, with Zero and Yagari somehow not really looking at each other.

The dark haired hunter found himself observing his former student closely. Zero looked… different now. His moodiness seemed to have vanished and although he was as quiet as ever, he looked happy, with no trace of the moody angst that usually burned in those amethyst eyes. And it was just as Cross has told him earlier - Zero and Yuuki couldn't seem to stop giving each other little smiles and glances all throughout dinner.

But the silver haired boy seldom looked at Yagari directly, and something in the dark haired hunter's heart ached… just a little. "You are good at cooking, Zero" he said as he helped himself to more spaghetti. Zero looked a bit startled at that. "Thank you" he said, and Cross beamed at him in delight. "Zero cooks very well indeed" he said, before adding rather reluctantly but truthfully "… better than me, actually!"

Yuuki coughed at that and hastily took a gulp of wine to mask it, making Zero grin. "Are you sure, Father? Or are you just being modest…" he teased.

But one word had caught Yagari's attention. "Father? Since when have you started calling him 'Father'?" he asked, shooting Cross a look of surprise. The latter smiled without saying anything and Zero bit his lip, suddenly embarrassed, before glancing at Yuuki. She didn't say anything but gave him a smile that made her eyes glow with pride.

Zero turned to his former teacher. Giving a small shrug, he said evenly "Since I started thinking of him as one." Taking in the amazed look on Yagari's face, Zero gave a surreptitious glance at Chairman Cross who stood up rather hurriedly. "Ah… excuse me" he muttered before hurrying off towards the living room.

The three of them looked at his retreating back before turning to look at each other. Yagari knew how his friend must be feeling and gave a mock sigh as he pushed back his chair. "I'd better go make sure that sentimental old fool is all right" he excused himself casually as he stood up. Zero and Yuuki nodded, too surprised to say anything.

Yagari didn't bother knocking before opening the study room door. Cross was standing by his study in the semi darkened room, with only the table lamp switched on. His spectacles were lying on his desk and he was dabbing at his eyes with a tissue - as expected. Yagari's lips twisted but without derision as he left the door ajar and crossed over to the desk. "You OK?" he asked quietly.

The other man didn't seem surprised to hear his voice. "Uhm, I'm fine" Cross said hastily, pasting a smile on his face before looking up. "Just a speck of dust got in my eye, that's all…"

"Both of them?" asked the taller man sceptically.

"Uh huh, it happens"

"Bullshit!" Yagari rested his hands rested on Cross' shoulders and regarded him with a slightly exasperated but tender look. "How long have we known each other, Kaien?" he asked.

"Ah… nine years"

Yagari nodded. "And how long have we been lovers?"

"Eight"

Again, the taller man nodded. "You think I really don't know why you're tearing up like a leaky tap?"

Cross sniffed. "I just didn't want you to think me a sentimental old fool"

Yagari rolled his remaining eye. "You _are_ a sentimental old fool, Kaien"

Cross pouted, right on cue.

"And that's actually one of the reasons why I love you" Yagari confessed suddenly.

Cross stopped pouting immediately. He knew Yagari loved him, it was just so rare actually _hearing_ him say it. "Really?" he breathed.

Yagari smiled. "Really" he said.

"Touga, I –"

Yagari cut him off. "I know – you love me too. Just shut up so that I can kiss you."

Cross complied immediately, and after a long and breathlessly sweet kiss, they parted for air.

"That's better" said Yagari approvingly, his lips tingling. "Let's go back before your kids come looking for us…"

Unexpectedly, Cross sobered up. "I wish…" he hesitated, making Yagari look at him.

"What?"

"… that they were your kids, too"

Yagari opened his mouth but shut it again upon seeing the earnest look in Cross' eyes. He knew what his friend really meant and despite the improbability of it, he was touched. "Thanks" he murmured as they left the study together.

- o -

Zero and Yuuki were still sitting at the dining table having a quiet but intense discussion which stopped abruptly as the two older men appeared. The silver haired boy shot the petite girl a warning glance which she blithely ignored.

"Ah… sorry about that" said Chairman Cross as he and Yagari sat down again. The four of them resumed eating in silence.

Yuuki wasn't eating but fidgeting in her seat for a couple of minutes, her bright eyes swinging from her adopted Father to his friend, then back again. Zero on the other hand, ignored them both but shot the auburn haired girl rather fierce warning glances from time to time.

Finally, Yuuki tossed her head resolutely and put down her fork. "Yagari-san" she said, looking directly at the dark haired hunter. Zero froze in his seat - all three men froze, in fact, but Yuuki didn't seem to notice. She was smiling at the dark haired hunter. "Thank you" she said simply.

Yagari's eyebrows shot up. "For what?" he asked suspiciously.

Yuuki's smile grew wider but also deceptively more innocent, in a way that made Zero wonder if he could kick her under the table and get away with it. But all she said was "For looking after Father... for the past eight years"

Both older men exchanged startled looks, Cross even dropping his fork in surprise. In unison, they looked back at Yuuki before turning to Zero. He ignored their questioning gazes as he reached for a piece of chicken from the dish opposite him with utmost concentration, as though his very life depended on whether he dropped the piece or not. Having conveyed it successfully to his bowl, he stared at it as if wondering how it had gotten there in the first place before finally looking up. Surprisingly, both his adopted father and his former teacher were now looking at him with similar 'caught in the act' looks, almost as if they expected him to pass down some sort of judgment on them.

"Zero?" asked Chairman Cross softly. Yagari didn't say anything - he just continued looking at his former student.

But Zero kept silent – still feeling very confused, a little touched and more than a little grossed out at what he and Yuuki had inadverdently heard and witnessed in the Chairman's study a few minutes ago - totally Yuuki's fault, of course, for making him go along… And it was Yuuki's turn now to wonder if she could kick Zero under the table. _Please, Zero, I don't mind at all… and I know you don't really mind, either… _Her wide eyes beseeched him. Almost as if he could hear her, the silver haired boy glanced at her then back to his former teacher who was still staring at him.

After a moment, Zero sighed, his lips twisting ruefully. What the heck – who was he to deny anyone their own happiness when miraculously and against all odds, he had found his? He leaned slightly to the left, his long fingers reaching for and closing over Yuuki's small hand resting on her lap. Finally, one side of Zero's lips tilted in a half smile as he looked at his former teacher. "Yeah, thanks" he said softly.

Yagari's eye widened in amazement and he glanced covertly at Cross, who was now staring agape at Zero. Yuuki's eyes darted from one to the other before she started giggling – whoa, awkward moment there… her laugh seemed to say. Cross laughed too after a moment, even though his face was suspiciously rosy, then dinner resumed quite comfortably, even though the four of them were very careful to stay on more neutral topics instead.

- o -

"So they found out after all…" murmured Yagari as he cradled Cross in his arms, about four hours later. "Your fault for not closing my study door earlier" grumbled the latter rather breathlessly, as his heart and body gradually slowed down from the incredible rush he had experienced a couple of minutes ago. He grimaced - his throat was feeling somewhat raw from holding in his screams.

"I hadn't thought they would actually spy on us" returned Yagari dryly, his fingers combing gently through his lover's soft brown hair. Then he sighed. "Actually, I'm happy for you, Kaien. You've always wanted a family since you like meddling in other people's affairs so much!"

Cross smiled, not taking any offence. "Well, you're welcome to share in my family too, you know"

Yagari didn't say anything and the ex-hunter shifted in his arms, turning around to face him. "I know you want to" he said quietly, smiling at the startled look on the hunter's face, his own eyes warm with love and understanding. _Kaien always knew_... but the taller man only shrugged. "You _are_ a sentimental old fool, Kaien"

Cross reached up to drop a light kiss on his lover's mouth. "Mmm… and _you_ are a stubborn jackass, Touga" he returned, without rancor.

Yagari looked at him steadily for a few seconds before he smiled softly. "I love you" he admitted. He wanted to hear Cross say the same thing back to him but suddenly, he found he couldn't even wait for that and stopped him with a passionate kiss.

Lips still locked together, Cross tumbled Yagari back against the pillows. There was a renewed tenderness in their love making this time and the two hearts thudding together in unison felt unaccountably full. Perhaps this was what had been missing in their lives, something that they thought they could never have… a ready made family to share with each other.

Only now... they had.

-- THE END --


End file.
